Lest we Forget: The Beast and the Harlot
by BagiraXIII
Summary: The world now thrown into chaos, The digidestined must overcome obstacles of evil, and the heart, to save one another, and themselves. Sequal to Lest We Forget.
1. The Witch's Prelude

Hey guys, I'm back! With a Sequel! If you are reading this, **but have not read my first stroy, please go back.** You will not understand this if you have not read _Lest We Forget_, first.

Just a simple opening to establish myself. Enjoy.

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_**Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,**_

_**with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality."**_

_**And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.**_

_**The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,**_

_**and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."**_

_**And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.**_

_**And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.**_

_**"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.**_

_**"Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,**_

_**"The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.**_

_**"The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.**_

_**"These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.**_

**"_These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."_**

_**And he said to me, "The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.**_

_**"And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.**_

_**"For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.**_

_**"The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth."**_

**-----Book of Revelation – Chapter 17, Part 1: Mystery Babylon the Great - The Mother of Harlots**

And so Fate's hands were to soak themselves in the blood of War…**.**

As would Kari....


	2. 0: Le Mat: The Fool

Sorry it took so long to update. Had to do some research and I had a few contests to enter and finish.

_**PLEASE READ**_

**There is a new style in my story. Please read the descriptions of the tarot cards written at the beginning of the chapters and you will have an understanding of what will be in the chapter. Each card will represent a person, location, point in time, etc. You can have your own fun and try to decide what represents who. It will be quite obvious for some, but I wanna make it a little difficult. Have fun, and enjoy!**

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"Chapter 17, the Book of Revelations. A language of destruction and fear to those who read it and to those who truly believe in the existence of God and Satan. A laugh, for me, who feels no fear of this God. A joy, for me, who loves destruction and generalized chaos. An Anger, for me, who despises the worship of Said God. Though many exist, only one is superior, though one is superior, many despise him._

_Not I, the advocate of this character who Blasphemy's the Gods of the Lighter realms._

_I am the advocate of the Devil."_ --- _**Karakin, Tower of Bastet.**_

---

**The Fool : This card signifies folly, immaturity. Foolishness. Irrationality. Frivolity. Levity. Thoughtlessness. Lack of Consideration. Rashness. Lack of Discipline. Extravagance. Ridiculous expenditure or act. Delirium. Craze. Infatuation. Passion. Obsession. Mania. Indiscretion. Unrestrained excess. **

"If occurrences such as war did not exist, colossal unimaginings would erupt. One character must be in place as the head, one character must be in place as the last, the rest are the runner ups." Kari recited as the Cats marched through the Plains. "Dominance must exist, for law must be wrought by these leaders. Laws, which must be followed to maintain balance and order. Love, Hatred, and Greed are necessary. Such evils must be used to control the weaker minded."

"And why is this?" Jagar asked.

"Greed, because all individuals seek wealth or possession; Hatred, for their strength to defeat all before them; and Love, for passion is of the strongest evils contributing to greed and selfishness."

"Do you feel this Love, Kari Kamiya?" Jagar asked. Kari fell silent for a moment, choosing her words. She didn't know why she hesitated, she should have simply said no. Her feelings for T.K were malignant with hatred, yet the fire was fueled with something else unlike the darkness she exerted. She wondered if the feeling truly was love, but she ignored it as simple confusion. Jagar noticed the break in her thoughts and grinned.

"My dear, love is a terribly rare thing to find. If you believe, in any way, your actions will break this feeling for you, then leave now."

"I will not leave, I am not in love, I care only for the Pride and for the Mission." Kari said darkly.

"Good answer." Said Karakin, appearing beside Kari.

"Milady, what are you doing here?" Asked Jagar.

"Xantar will be joining you. I am simply escorting him to the front lines." Karakin stated, pointing over her shoulder to the matted lion behind her. He growled, but said nothing.

"Karakin grinned, then disappeared in a cloud of black dust. The army continued their march as if nothing had happened. Jagar looked over at Xantar, brows raised.

"What did you do to piss her off now?" he questioned immediately.

"I didn't do anything!" Xantar protested.

"Maybe that was the case." Jagar said, looking over his shoulder at the marching army behind them. "What did you not do?"

"We were simply walking along the borders of the Western Territory. Karakin was talking, but I wasn't listening. I was looking at the Koi in a pond, and then she pulled me by the back of the neck and sent me here." Xantar explained.

"Then there you have." Jagar growled. "Cub, you must pay attention to whatever you superiors tell you. She was probably giving you instructions."

"I'm not a cub, so stop calling me one!"

"As soon as you stop acting like one." Jagar continued, curling his lips into a snarl.

"Guys, we're a little busy at the moment." Kari informed, irritated with their immature behavior.

"Why should we listen to you, little girl?" Xantar Growled and Kari, on rash impulse, pulled her axe and bloodied the Lions nose. He stumbled back against the army, who continued to march over him. Kari continued with Jagar, who looked down at her with raised brows.

"Tempter, Kari. It will be the death of you."

"We'll see." She smiled.

---

The wolves ran among the trees and stones and beaches to their goal.

T.K ran before them with Tojima and Nicoli. No one spoke, simply ran and panted, feeling the exhilaration of the cool breeze through their fur and faces. T.K didn't think he would have ran as he did after his leg healed, but he was, and with a group he suddenly, and strangely, felt was his family. All other emotion was gone, all other memory was erased. His one goal now was to retrieve the Pendant for his 'family.' He thought of nothing else.

He was ready to prove himself. Nicoli gestured to his right, causing the wave of dogs to shift and turn right. They stopped moments later at a red and gold temple on a mountain over looking the sea.

"There is a hidden sector for our military to rest on the other side of the sea. We can stop there and check our supplies and soldiers." Knox informed T.K.

"This is the Helvete Mountain, that there is the Brann Sea." Nicoli said to the blond.

"And this is one of Karakin's temples. The people here worship her obsessively." Added Tojima, looking up at the temple. "Can I break it?"

"No, we must find our way across the Sea. Tojima, you've done this before, where do we go from here?" Nicoli asked the white haired man.

"Well, I just walked across. I'm not sure you guys can do that…." Tojima grinned with pride.

"…" Nicoli couldn't respond, but merely blinked with annoyance. Tojima saw this and cracked his neck.

"We can freeze it. Walk across from there." He pointed to the docks.

"Good, let's go."

"Can we at least take out the village?" Asked T.K suddenly.

The two looked at him.

"Why would you do that?"

"I can smell them." T.K answered, looking at the huts. "They were here."

"The lions?" Nicoli inquired.

"The Kids." Tojima was now, suddenly, dark and hollow voiced.

"Yea, they don't need to be here. Who knows? They may have weapons we can use." Tojima agreed and, after a moment, Nicoli nodded.

"Down with the tribes." He said and the Wolves over ran the village.

---

Whamon deposited the Digidestined on a dock across the sea.

"Where are we?" Asked Yolie.

"Near the Satie establishment. We'll rest there and regroup with the other clans. We need to start our army again." Gennai sighed.

"But, who will fight for us now? The digimon are all captured or unwillig to come out of hiding, and Dorian's tribes are almost completely wiped out." said Davis.

"We should ask the trees." Suggested Gabumon.

"The Trees?" Matt looked at his friend incredulously. "How could the trees help?"

"The forest have personalities of their own." Said Patamon. "They can fight, too. Every army from the Creatures that enter will be wipedout before they can leave!"

"Good idea." Gennai smiled. "We need to find Teramori."

"Teramori?" Came a voice from the end of the dock. the kids looked over with surprise, finding the Cheetah, Inca, sitting on a support. "I hate to break it to you, but-" She jumped form the beam and walked over. "-His forest has been bruned down."

Everyone froze, disbelief washing over them.

"Inca, you beast, what have you done with Teramori?" Gennai demanded.

"Why look at me? I've told you before I'd rather not fight, much less burn down a whole forest. As far as I know, he and everything else that dwelled there, is dead. No hope in asking him or his faerie friends."

"Why are you telling us?" Ken asked.

"I want to see the end of this battle, dears. I will help if it means the halt of the War." Inca answered, her yellow eyes flashing.

"Don't listen to her. She's a Blood Harvester, they are all tied into one Pride. She's trying to trick you." Gennai said to the kids.

"Am I? Gennai, how do we know you're not tricking them? After all, you run them like a dictator. You take control as if you know the best thing, but so far you've landed everyone in a heap of decay." Inca snarled and crossed her arms.

"Perhaps the children should act more carfully around you, lest your own deciet leads them to Shadow."

"Shut up. You are a simple, wretched beast who helped with the infiltration of the Orenda's city and had them destroyed! I will not allow you to wander freely!" Gennai shouted angrily with the insult.

Inca rushed him and jumped on his chest, sending him to the ground. as he fell, she jumped and landed on another support of the dock. The digimon readied for a fight.

"Gennai, you used to fight so well!" An arrow shot through the air and caught the cat's tail, making her shriek with pain and surprise.

Three masked men stood ahead of the dock, bows raised to the cat, ready to strike. Inca looked at them with lowered ears, and back at the digidestined desperately.

"Please, children. Listen to me. Karakin and Tojima have something terrible planned for your friends. You must reach them before it's too late!" And she ran as the arrows chased her shadow form the shore.

"Come with us." said one of the archers. The group hurried along the shore and through the trees to a small establishment in a glenn.

Small, makeshift tents filled the area, children danced and played by the large fire in the center of the establishment. The kids stopped and watched the sight with forlorn eyes.

"It's like the place in the other forest." said Yolie sadly, remembering the events and those leading up to the present. Everyone nodded with agreement.

"Chloe will speak with you." Said the archers and they left. Chloe walked up to them and gave Gennai a strong hug.

"Thank you for your help in re-establishing our families, Gennai. You're a kind soul" she smiled brightly, causing a blush to form in the man's cheeks.

"Always a pleasure, Chloe." He said. She released him and led the group to the fire in the center of the 'village.'

"We think that the creatures will be rejoining Shadow very shortly. We need to stop them before T.K and Kari get to him." Said Chloe, getting to the point.

"What? Rejoining Shadow? T.K and Kari?" Tai began to feel weak in the knees and sat on the ground.

"There is little we can do but to fight. It is possible to destroy the Demons, Tojima and Karakin. However, we would ahve to fight your friends in order to do so. We have t op be ready to make any scarifice for this world." Chloe continued.

"How can we defeat Tojima and Karakin?" Asked Izzy.

Karakin's pendant is her life. That's why she holds iot so dear and why Kari was fighting so dsperately to get it back." Gennai nswered. Once detroyed, Karakin will be gone forever. Tojima would be soon to follow. All we need to do is top get a hold of the Pendant."

"How do we do that?" Gomamon asked.

"I'm not sure, but you can bet we have to get close to Shadow. Maybe we can hide in the ranks of the creatures under animal skin. There will be humans fighting for them as well, also dressed in skins, so you would fit right in." Said Chloe.

"But, if we're caught, we'll surely be killed." Said Veemon.

"Indeed. The creatures would outmatch us one hundred to one." Added Hawkmon. "What would we do then if we couldn't escape?"

"That won't happen. Shadow isn't one to just kill people. He'd want top play with them." Gennai said. "You can get to him through his leniency."

The digidestined listened to the irrationality of their plan, finding more and more difficult to fight the two.

"We need to think through this." Ken said. "It's suicide just going into the armies."

"But the Generals will keep you alive." Said Chloe.

"What makes you so sure?" Davis inquired with outrage. "We could easily be ripped apart by those things and you're willing to just throw us in there?"

"Because it won't happen." Chloe insisted.

"Listen to yourselves." Matt said. "We definitely need to come up with a different plan. Does Shadow carry the pendant with him? Maybe we could draw him out and steal it." he suggested.

"No, he won't leave at this point." Gennai said. "This really is our best shot."

The digidestined looked at each other nervously, finding little argument.

It didn't stop the feeling of dread and nervousness....

---

Sonya looked out through the window of her room in the castle to the vast forests. She felt a strange longing to join with the creatures within, feeling the unnatural powers she carried writhe and tingle in her finger tips.

She questioned herself the whole time. She felt a dreaded and irrational loyalty to Shadow, not knowing why, but felt her regret within her each lie she told to her friends. If they were her friends. She looked at her hands, knowing what she had done, but not knowing the extent. She wondered if she would see her brothers again, or taste the cool sweet air of freedom once more. She wondered why she betrayed the Digidestined and found no answer to her question.

Some unearthly pull drew her attention the the large mirror on her wall. Her hair was disheveled from lack of sleep. Her eyes were dark, her skin was pale. She looked as though she were withering away. She felt as though she were withering away. With each meal, she ate less and less and felt even worse, as if a poison was put into the bread.

She wouldn't have put it past Shadow, either....

The image rippled as if it were water and revealed a boy in her place. It was T.K, determined, hard faced, and giult ridden in his eyes. He hair was also messed up and it seemed to grow paler into a platinum blond. He looked sad, distant, looking for something. Sonya touched the image and the reflection turned to ice, encasing her brother within. Sonya froze and blinked. The image was her own once more.

"Oh...Mother Spirit.... Guide me through this ordeal and lead my friends to safety.

"Sonya." Came Shante's voice through the door.

Sonya turned and saw the blond lean against the door frame.

"Missing you little friends? Hmph. Don't bother, you'll never see them again." She huffed with a smirk.

"Please, Shante, let me alone." Sonya said softly.

"Heh, I certainly hope you're not wishing for them to come to your rescue." Shante grinned.

Ven stood beside Shante in the door.

"Would you like to see what happens if they show up?" he asked evilly. Sonya looked away, not wishing to listen, but they dragged her from her room and down the stony , as they walked, saw cages and rooms filled with blood. The scene became worse the further down they went. They descended numerous flights of stairs until they stopped on the 5th underground sector of the castle. They opened the door and Sonya jerked away. Shante and Ven grabbed her wrists and pulled her through to the dungeon. They stopped however, when they noticed something was completely off. The captive digidestined were no longer there, and their digimon were gone as well.

The two released Sonya and darted back up the stairs to warn Shadow. Sonya stood before the door, holding her bruised wrists and smiling lightly into the room.

_'The birds came for them.' _She looked up at the broken window._ 'They're free now.'_

---

"Why would you save us?" Asked Mimi as the large birds carried the prisoners across the skies.

"It's what our General wishes. Sonya gave access to set you loose, so I guess she's not quite as dark as we thought." answered the Eagle.

"Sonya? She's in the Castle?" Jyou inquired.

"Yes. She's sided with Shadow, but she may very well have infiltrated on our behalf." The Eagle answered lightly.

"But what if she didn't? What if she is there because she's actually sided with Shadow?" Mimi asked, holding Sora tightly in her arms.

"We'll just have to trust her and her heart. She will choose what is right." the Eagle said and directed the other birds to fly further to the ground.

"Where are we going?" Asked Palmon.

"To Sheba. She and Takeru will help you heal your friend." said another bird.

"Takeru... T.K? He's there?" Gatomon exclaimed.

"Yes." The Eagle chuckled. "He is the General for the Wolves. he has requested you be sent to him immediately."

Jyou and Mimi looked at each other nervously, thinking of what they had learned at the castle.

------

**_Shante and Ven tossed Mimi back and Forth, laughing and joking with her weakness._**

**_"Come little girl, are you too weak to fight back?" Shante teased. Ven laughed._**

**_"This is almost as fun as messing with that blond kid and his girlfriend."_**

**_Jyou and Sora listened, knowing who they were talking about._**

**_"What do you mean?" Mimi inquired angrily._**

**_"Don't worry, we still love you." Shante pinched Mimi's cheek sharply, making her cry out in pain._**

**_"Tojima is coming back isn't he?" asked Shante with a sigh._**

**_"I dunno, Don't care." Ven roughly threw Mimi back on the table and strapped her arms and legs. _**

**_"No, I don't care if Karakin Comes back, but Tojima. He's really something." Shante began dancing around with a prisoners remains._**

**_"That boy... the last time he checked in he said he was almost finished converting that Takeru kid. At the rate he's moving, I'd guess Karakin's already finished with Kari." Ven said._**

**_"Well, Karakin's impatient that way. She can't take her time and enjoy torturing her vessels. She just gets it done and points 'em in the right direction. I wonder if Kari's gonna last, or if she's gonna die like the others." Shante wondered to herself. The digimon and the Digidestined listened in on the arrogant voice, tensing angrily.  
_**

**_"I can't wait to see what Shadow has planned for them. Isn't he going to use them in his new Body Guard Program? I here he's got two projects for the program, the Project Sebek, and Project Menhit. Which one is for Tojima do you think?" Shante wondered aloud, playing with the deceased prisoner's skull._**

**_"Probably Sebek. It's quite cliche and humorously obvious he would use the name of the Garudian of the Gods for his Body Guard Program._**

**_"And of course he would name Karakin's vessel after a War Goddess. He could a little more imagination, you'd think." Shante complained, throwing the skull over her shoulder._**

**_"Awe well... What're you going to do about, right?" Ven shrugged and touched Sora's leg. She was unconscious, and unaware of the movement._**

**_"Take your hands off her!" Biyomon shouted._**

**_"Quiet down ya mangy Bird." Shante struck the cage, making the little digimon tumble and hit her head against the bars._**

**_"Nah, once this world is taken over, he'll kill 'em off." Ven continued as he felt up the red-head's leg._**

**_"As I expected." Shante rolled her eyes. The sound of a bell rolled through the halls and the dungeons, causing the pair to look up to the sound._**

**_"What does he want now?" Ven complained and they headed out of the room to the sound of the Bells._**

------

"Digidestined, are you okay?" Asked a Hawk.

"Yes, we're fine." Said Jyou.

"We're getting ready to land. Hold on!" The Hawk warned and fell behind the crowd of birds.

Mimi Held Sora and Jyou held Mimi while the Digimon held the birds they were riding.

The Squad of Birds Took a sudden dive for a cliff and as they reached the rocks, they lifted sharply, flying dangerously close to the ground at full speed. Groves of trees came quickly and the birds separated, dodging and dancing between the trees skillfully. They regrouped and separated once more with another grove, and another, and another. Soon, they reached a clearing and were upon a hill overlooking a valley. The birds continued their swift flight and made an abrupt nose dive off of the edge of the hill, which turn out as a steep rock face. The digidestined saw a small farmland with worn shacks and huts and small crop ares. The villagers were thin and bony, the area was lush, but the crops were dry.

"What is wrong with them? Why are their crops so dry?" asked Mimi.

"Tojima and Takeru has cut off their water for fighting against them with Karakin." said the Eagle. "They are beeginning to repent, though. They will have their water soon enough."

"T.K did this?" Tentomon inquired. "I don't believe it."

"Why would he do something so cruel as diminish a whole villages water?" Gatomon asked, more to herself than the birds.

"He does wht is right for the Pack, but he doesn't always agree with himself. he tends to argue with himself over some desicions. It's a little scary to me, to be honest." Said the Eagle.

"Why?" Asked Wormon.

"He thinks he is consulting with another leader, bargainer, or anyone of the sort, but he talking to thin air. To himself. There was a loss in his life, causing him to lose a part of his sanity. Do you know about it?" The eagle asked.

The group looked at each other, then shook their heads.

"Well, be glad you weren't part of it. He's seeking retribution on the ones who caused his pain."

"What happened?" asked Palmon.

"His dear friend, Kari. She was killed." the Eagle answered.

The whole group was shocked. none of them spoke, until anger filled Jyou's eyes.

"Who did it? Do you know?"

"Why, yes... in fact, we're out searching for the culprits. The other digidestined that remain elusive. They killed her." The Eagle said, twirliung in the air.

"What? Tai and the others would never do that! They wouldn't harm anything unless it was trying to destroy the Digital world! Why does he think it was them?" Mimi asked, outraged.

"Because it was the record of the Wolves who witnessed, the villagers who heard the tale from the children themselves, and Kari's own account."

"What do you mean?" asked Tentomon.

"She was killed, and her soul was left in the Snows of a bear pit in the forest. But her body rose and fought. She lives, but is run only by rage and hate. Takeru was distraught by her death, and even more-so by what she had become. She was once a beautiful girl filled with love and kindness, but is now... a monster."

After a moment, Sora stirred, causing Jyou and Mimi to act in surprise.

"Sora! Are you alright?Don't worry, we're getting help right now." Mimi informed.

"Are we... out?" Sora asked softly.

"Yes, we're free Sora. We'll get you fixed up soon." said Jyou.

The birds flew along the rock face, twirling through the air with skill and boredom as they flew. There was a sudden, unexpected change in direction and the digidestined creamed in surprise as the birds made a ninety degree left turn into a crevice of the rock face. They flew sideways to avoid hitting the rocks. the digidestined and digimon flattened against the birds they rode to avoid the rocks as well. Jyou could feel the light scrapping of the stone on his shirt and knew he'd be done for if he were raised any higher. this made him nervous and clench onto Mimi, who in turn held Sora and the Bird tighter.

As they flew dangerously close together in the crevice, they made one more sudden right turn and straitened out. They found themselves in a large, hollow portion of the rock face. Groups of Wolves, Jackals, Foxes, Bears, Birds, and more stationed in separate areas. There were smaller caves, large enough to fit several Moon Breeds and small enough to numerous in the walls of the Stones. Torches lit the Cavern along the walls and beside each cave. The birds circled a moment, then began falling gracefully to the grassy bottom of the encampment. A circle of small boulders surrounded a fire, where several Nightwalkers sat, talking and growling. Among them was A boy with an animal skin cloak. The hood, the skin of a wolf's head, was drawn up and covered his face with shadow. The birds landed around the Nightwalkers, disrupting their conversation. They look at the feathered creatures as the Digidestined and the Digimon crawled off. They walked wearily to the fire, fearing greatly for the wolves stared at them with glowing eyes.

The boy stood abruptly and took Sora from Mimi's arms.

"We need to set her down." He said, removing his cloak. He found Sora's wound imediately and got to work. Jyou and Mimi, with astonishment and relief, recognized T.K as he began removing the clothes around her wound.

"What happened?" Asked T.K, looking up for a moment, then back at his work.

"We were attacked by Blood Harvesters. A Moon Breed... A tiger... It attacked Sora from behind. It chewed into her leg and she's been falling in and out of consciousness for three days." Jyou informed.

"Ugh...stupid cats." T.K muttered as he began cleaning the wound. "We've been finding more and more of their establishments as we went along today. We took out one of Karakin's temples earlier, along with the village. There are less suppliers for them now, but we still haven't hit the bigger targets yet."

"T.K, we heard about Kari... We didn't know...." Jyou said.

There was a silence, T.K stopped a moment, then continued without looking at them.

"T.k, I'm as angry as you are about the whole thing. I want nothing more than to find the ones who did this and teach them a lesson they'll never forget... but How you believe it was Tai and the others?" Gatomon said.

"Do you think I would accuse and attack someone without a good, strong cause and knowledge of what I'm doing?" asked T.K his voice seemed rough, dark, growling as he spoke to the digimon.

Jyou noticed, but assumed it was his anger for their friend's death. He knelt beside the blond ands put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know you're angry about what happened to Kari, but whatever it is, we will help you with it. I'm not sure if it was the other digidestined, and personally, I don't think so, but you can always have our help.

"Thanks, Jyou. That means a lot. We really could use your help." and T,K began attending to Sora once more.

There were growls from behind the group. Jyou, Mimi, and the Digimon noticed their evil glares and their curling lips as they murmured something incoherent to each other.

"I don't think your dogs like us." Said Mimi with fear. T.K looked at her with contempt and raised a brow. "It's not you, it's the cat."

"The cat...? Do you mean Gatomon?" Asked Jyou, looking at the feline digimon.

"Yeah. They hate cats." T.K said as he pulled a needle form his hair and string from his pocket.

"I guess we're lucky they haven't come after us yet then...." Mimi said nervously.

"Oh, they already asked. Numerous times. I told them not too." T.K responded. Sora twitched a little as the needle and thread entered her skin and began weaving around the wound.

"That's a relief." Palmon said

"They listen to you?" Wormon asked.

"Yeah, I'm their General, they have to listen to me. They don't have to agree, just follow orders. But everything's made up later in a game of Poker." grinned.

"General? You're leading them into battle?"Gatomon inquired, slight alarm raised in her voice.

"Yes, against Blood Harvesters." was his abrupt answer.

He tied off the stitch and wrapped the wound with a clean cloth.

"Does anyone else need attention?" He asked.

"No, we're all-" Gatomon started, but Tentomon interjected.

"Gatomon has come down with something in the cell. We don't kow if it's a disease or what...." he said.

T.K picked up the feline digimon, find her struggle to be weak and kitten-like. He pressed his ear against her chest, listening for her heart. The Wolves watched hungrily. That heard the Digimon speak of her illness and hoped their leader would throw her out as a medical calamity so they might eat her.

T.K checked the digimon's eyes, teeth, tail, and bones.

"How do you feel? Do you have a cough, an ache...?" he asked.

"An aching pain in my head. before it was a stomache pain and I couldn't hold down any food...." Gatomon explained.

"She was euphoric at one point. She was laughing her tail off, then she started getting delirious." Said Jyou.

T.K looked up at him, then down at the cat in his arms. He put up two fingers in front of her face.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" he asked.

"Uh...three."

T.K looked at the others again, then back once more at the digimon.

"Right now, What is the color of my hair and eyes?"

"Light brown and kind of green...." Gatomon answered once more.

"What am I doing right now?" He tugged on a lock of his golden hair.

"Touching your nose."

T.K looked away.

"She has the Black Will. Next she'll start to lose her speech, become paralyzed, then all hell breaks loose with the untreatable pains." T.K said setting her down.

"How did she get it?" asked Biyomon frantically.

"I dunno... food, water... anything, I'd guess. She could have gotten it by being around the deceased." T.K said and cleaned his hands off.

"Can you cure it?" Mimi asked.

"Not now, and too much later will be too late."

"T.K, there must be something we can do." insisted Palmon. Gatomon's ears were dropping sadly now, T.K sensed little hope within her. He felt a small pang in his heart, but was soon gone with a coldness.

"I actually can't have you here, lest you make my soldiers sick, Gatomon."

"But, I have nowhere else to go... T.K, please." she begged. T.K took a moment as a sudden thought came to him.

"Hey Knox!" He called over his shoulders. He stared at the cat as the Nightwalker came to him.

"Yes?"

T.K looked over, eyes a brilliant bright blue.

"Hast thou ever fought in Germ Warfare?"

Both minds connected to the twisted plan.

---

_'The sun rises with a new day and the promise of light and life. The sun sets with the end of a life and covers them in darkness.' _

_'The sun has set on my time here. There should have been something completely natural about my death. It should have been normal, an every day incident. Nothing big.' _

_'But there was something unnatural about my death. **I'm not dead**. Not quite.'_

_'Why is this? When we die, our soul leaves our body and recreates into another form. However, when it's not your time, you tend to remain in one spot. Others can roam wherever they may. I am neither living, nor dead. I'm not a spirit, I'm not a ghost, I'm not alive. What am I?_

_Nothing. I'm nothing. Nothing, and everything. I am the hunter, yet I am the prey. I am the light, yet I am the dark.' _

These thoughts raced through Kari's mind over and over again, deepening the crease over her brow with each thought.

_'I'm gone, but I'm not. What am I?'_

She grolwed and breathed the smoke as she stared over at the dark castle beyond the mountains past the valley their army rested in. She smelt the tobacco from the cats' pipes and the smoke from the fire intermingle. It sent a shiver down her spine and she smiled, but her crease remained.

How confused she was, but how angry as well.

**She would have her answer, and her life.**

* * *

So this is real weird, I get it, but I can't wait until the gore comes up! Yay!

By the way, the Black Will disease in here is a slightly re-modified version of a real disease. The only alteration I made was the coughing blood. The disease, otherwise, is Called Neglaria. It's real trippy, but be careful! It's real! Look it up! Seriously!

Tell me whatcha think please!


	3. 1: Le Bateleur: The Magician

This is probably one of my fastest uploads. This is what happens when you have no life.

Please read and tell me what you think!

* * *

"_It might have been love… or some irrepressible passion I felt for the damned woman. I don't know what she felt; I could never read her like I could with the others. But… there was an intrigue, and that may be why she hates me so much…. I never thought my own feelings for a woman would get in the way of my head. I never really thought with my heart before, either. That might also be why I hate her so much, too…. I can't stop, though… I can't help but have her on my mind all the time, whether I dream of holding her or killing her…. I wonder if we will go to Hell together for our Hatred? Or is it our Love? Maybe I'll never know… she may very well kill me before I learn." – Tojima: Roman Catholic Church of God, London._

_---  
_

**The Magician – This card symbolizes originality. Spontaneity. Imagination. Self-Reliance. Resolution. Skill Mastery. Self Control. Subtlety. Flexibility. Dexterity. Craft. Ability to choose one's own action. Determination to see a task through to completion.**

"Germ warfare is very simple. You expose the enemy to disease and they drop like flies. The work is in successfully creating a disease that won't backfire against you." T.K explained as he carried Gatomon from the cavern.

"What are you going to do with her?" Mimi asked, finding nervous around T.K's idea.

"I'm going to extract the disease. If it works out right, we have a weapon against the Blood harvesters and Gatomon might be saved." T.K said with a grin.

"You would really try to help me?" Gatomon asked.

"Actually, I'd feed you to the Sharks, but You're too valuable right now." T.K asaid apathetically.

"So that's all she is to you?" came Jyou's voice behind him. "A source of bio-weaponry? Some disposable item you can just use and throw away?"

T.K turned around. "Would you rather I do this and potentially save her, or extract the disease and test it on you?" He said in a deep voice and a critical eye. It sent a chill through the older boy's spine. T.K turned once more and continued walking.

"Where are you going?" Jyou asked.

"Come and see!" T.K called back. Jyou and Mimi looked at each other, then followed T.K through the groves of trees. They stopped at an old camp site. The fire ring was old, but the ashes remained. T.K set the digimon on the grass before the fire pit and pulled a syringe from his pocket.

"Do you carry these things with you everywhere?" Mimi asked.

"You never know when It'll come in handy. I have full and empty vials for things we may need for later on. Cool, huh?" T.K raised a brow with a smile. He stuck the syringe into the crook of the cat's arm, making her twitch a little with pain. Blood spilled from her arm into the syringe, coloring it with a dingy red.

"The blood shouldn't be dirty like this...." said Jyou, examining the blood that flowed into the syringe.

"Nope. It's rusted from the remains of the disease. We can use it easily. I'm not sure how we'll contain it before exposure, though...." T.K murmured. He pulled the syringe from the digimon's arm and covered the little hole.

"Keep that covered for a minute. I'll package this and take it to Knox. He'll know where to go from there."

"Will Gatomon be okay?" Mimi asked.

"She'll be fine." assured T.K. "With any luck, your cat will live once we find out how to use the disease."

"How will learning to use the disease as a weapon help Gatomon?" Mimi questioned back.

"The more we know about this thing, the easier it will be to treat it, Mimi." T.K rested a hand on her shoulder. "No need to worry. In the mean time, we'll try herbs to slow the process." He stood and pulled a vial from a compartment on the lining of his shirt. He stuck the needle into the vile and poured the rusty blood into the little glass container.

"What are going to do with me? If I don't get better?" Gatomon asked. She was beginning to shake a little.

"Well, I would probably leave you with Jyou and Mimi, but the kindest thing would be to put you out of your misery. If you really wanted me to, I'd cut your head off and be done with it." the blond suggested.

"Stop it! How could you be so cruel?" Mimi demanded.

"Not cruel. I like cats about as much as the wolves in the cavern. It's kindness to kill her quickly and stop the suffering before it comes." T.K said, face stern and eyes cold. He changed suddenly when a Jay Bird landed on his shoulder.

"Grimm. Did you find anything?" he asked the bird.

"CAW! Yes Milord! They were last seen heading for a Village within the Satyr's Forest. CAW!" the bird responded.

T.K held his chin in thought.

"What would they be doing there?" he wondered aloud.

"Who are you talking about?" Jyou asked.

"The other digidestined. We've been tracking them for that last two days." T.K said.

"What are you going to do when you find them?" asked Mimi.

T.K paused a moment, then smiled up at the brunette.

"Kill them."

---

The Satyrs were considerably ardent in their dance and play. They were nothing the Digidestined imagined them to be. There were acts of gambling and sex every other turn they took in the Main Village of the Satyrs.

"Gennai, can we hurry? I don't like it here." Yolie requested for the third time that afternoon.

"Once we find Titus. He is hiding here somewhere." Gennai answered.

"How do you even know he's here?" Questioned Cody.

"Chloe got the word through the grapevines at the Orenda ruins. Her people were passing through when someone told them."

"Who told them?" asked Veemon.

"She never told me. She just said it was a voice, but she believes it, and she has requested we search him out." Gennai said as he looked behind barrels and bushes.

"Well, Can we go just a little faster? These guys are giving m the creeps." Yolie complained.

"Hey! Who're you callin' crazy, Bitch?" hiccuped a drunken Satyr as he tumbled passed.

"Yolie, Satyrs are typically dancers and players. They will gamble and drink and fornicate as much as they please... It's simply in their culture, and we shouldn't speak against it, lest they take it personally." said Hawkmon.

"Well they can control themselves a little!" Yolie shouted.

"Titus! You cowering traitor! Come here!" Gennai shouted angrily as he pushed aside a pair of curtains covering the inside of a hollowed tree. He pulled out the old man from the tree, who was half dressed and crouched on the ground with fear. His strength was gone, his black hair had gone to a dull gray, and his body was withered and wrinkled like that of an old man.

"Please don't turn on me, Gennai. I never meant for this to happen, I really didn't!" Titus pleaded. The creatures were beginning to stop and watch.

"We'll take him with us." Said Gennai forcefully and dragged the old man across the ground. The creatures soon forgot the fight and continued with their play.

"Titus, where were you when the Orenda were attacked?" Gennai demanded.

"Hiding... Oh, I knew this would get me into a world of hurt...." The old man groaned.

"Titus, what happened? Why did you run?" asked Davis, watching the old man cower against the earth.

"The cats. Te cats came and terrorized the village. Soon after you left hey came and threatened us. They said we needed to obey them and give them our weapons... and when we didn't, they destroyed the city." Titus wept with despair. the digidestined looked at each other helplessly.

"When word got out you were going to fight, Kai got angry and tried to rally what was left of us to beat you back, but we still didn't obey, and were demolished once more.... There is nothing left but a few of my people scattered here and there. They won't fight, and they refuse to speak with me.... Please, don't hurt me, too!" Titus began to sob. Gennai looked with an upturned nose, then looked away.

"What are you going to do?" Izzy asked Gennai.

"We can't do anything with him... we may as well bring him back to Chloe, though. She'll know what to do." Gennai answered an walked away. Davis and Ken helped the old man to his feet and carried him along the path away from the Satyr Village.

Titus mumbled incoherency as they walked along. Davis could make little sense of what he said until the old man pulled him close suddenly.

"Boy, your girl, The young blond. I know where she is... I've seen her! She flew on the back of a great Gryphon! She went West to the Shadow's Castle!"

"Don't listen to him, Davis. He doesn't know what he's talking about." Gennai called over his shoulder.

"Please listen to me. I've seen her. I have heard her sing. She's sad and waits in the tower for you to come to her." Titus mumbled in Davis's ear as they trudged down the forest path. Davis's heart leaped into his throat. He couldn't make himself ignore the old man's words. Was it true? Was Sonya a captive? Or was she simply regretting her choice? He didn't know which to believe, but he knew he was needed.

"Guys, maybe we should check into it. What if Shadow's castle really is West of here?" he suggested hopefully. Everyone stopped and looked.

"Davis, he's whacked out. For all we know, he's lying to us to lead us off." Said Yolie.

"She's right." Hawkmon said. "He's been to suspicious and to many rumors of his alliance with Shadow are too great. We can't risk him being freed."

"But what if he's right?" Davis Argued.

"What if he's not? We'd be running on a wiled goose-chase." said Cody.

Armadillomon nodded with agreement.

"But... guys. Sonya could be in trouble."

"Sonya betrayed us, Davis." Said Gennai sternly. "None of us like the idea, but it's true. We just have to accept the fact that she's the enemy now." Everyone looked away with dismay, depression sweeping down on their heads. Gennai cleared his throat and continued.

"Now, Once we get Titus back to Chloe, we need to get ready to find and infiltrate the true whereabouts of Shadow's Castle and Save your friends."

The digidestined nodded submissively. Davis, in a sudden flurry, began gritting his teeth.

"Inca was right...." He muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Veemon asked, a little startled.

"Inca was right. Gennai, You don't know that what you say is right. Well I've had enough. I've seen and felt enough, and I know that we need to go West. Something's telling me that the later we are, the more chaos will be reigned. I don't know about you, but I'm going!" Dais shouted angrily and left the group. Veemon hesitated, but soon followed after his partner.

"Davis! Don't be so rash! We'll help Sonya, we just need time!" Ken shouted to Davis.

Davis was angry, he didn't answer the calls form the digidestined.

"Davis, listen to them, Sonya will be fine." Said Veemon frantically. "We need to at least come u pwith a plan to get in!"

"I know! What do you think I'm doing?" Davis shot. His heart throbbed with anger and passion. He didn't know what drove him the direction he went, but he knew ti was the right way. Niether did he notice the golden eyes peer down on him watchfully.

---

"Should we go after him?" asked Matt.

"No. Let him go. He will come back soon enough when he finds he doesn't know the way." Gennai said and continued treking down the road.

"But, Veemon is still weak, and there are Wolves out there!" Patamon said.

"Children, you have to understand the urgency of us returning to the establishment. Without a plan, we cannot find the castle and save your friends, or retrieve the pendant for that matter." Gennai said.

The digidestined fell silent, feeling the white hot sensation that Davis had felt, but not acting on it. They controlled their feelings, but then felt ashamed. Matt looked behind them as they wandered on, wondering if Davis was right and his chances of finding his sister were with the boy. He heavily contemplated this as they continued and found that he could no longer resist the urge to stop and return to the inner forest.

Gennai noticed his change in pace and turned quickly.

"Where are you going Matt?" He asked with surprise.

"I think he might be right. I just need to know." Matt answered and turned to follow Davis. He carried the weakened Gabumon in his arms as he retraced his steps. The other digidestined looked at each other and began to follow one by one.

"No! Where are you going? This is crazy, don't you understand?" Gennai pleaded with them.

"Gennai, old boy... I'm afraid you can't change their minds, or their hearts." said Titus with a contented smile.

Those words seemed to echo through the trees as Gennai was left alone in the forest.

---

Kari stared at the stone walls of the Dark Castle. She found, with humor, that the information given to them all those days ago was incorrect. The Black Castle behind the Plateau did indeed house the minions of Shadow, but housed Shadow as well. There, she would find her Pendant and defeat the man within. There she would find her answers. Perhaps, she thought, she would even find decent entertainment. She smiled at the possibilities if she was accepted into the Castle.

"Do you know what to do?" Came Jaganu's dark voice from behind the brunette.

"Yeah... When can we go?" she asked.

"When the wolves are insight."

"Are the Wolves coming?"

"Yes, and that's also when the Hyena's will turn in our favor."

Kari continued to stare at the darkness within the castle. She saw the creatures chained to the walls and doors where more would certainly emerge from. She touched her chest, finding the pendant gone, as she found it missing many other times before. She clutched at her hair and pulled with anger.

_'I can't wait....'_ she thought with a smile.

"My dear, I understand that the Digidestined plan to infiltrate the army in search of you." said Jagar's familiar voice behind her. Jaganu had left, leaving the Scottish accented lion in his place.

"Let them." Kari said. "We can turn them in when we're accepted into the castle. We will do what we please with them afterward." She began to smile with malicious thoughts. The thought of her brother lying before her and writhing in pain sent chills down her spine. She felt a warmth grow in her face as she thought of T.K and his Tribe. She looked forward to his arrival, finding amusement in the prospect of slowly destroying him. her heart leaped and flipped in her chest.

"You face, my dear. It's red. Are you thinking of the blond?" asked the Lion.

"I can't wait to kill him, Jagar." She smiled at the lion as if she were a young girl at Christmas.

"I'm sure, lass." Jagar laughed, then sat beside her.

"Something that you would do you well would be to think everything through before you act on it." he said.

"Oh, I have. I have some real fun ideas I wanna try. On each of them. I want to make them miserable. I thought about what I will do to who and when." Kari said happily.

"No, my dear, I mean this. Acting as you are. Kari, are you sure that fighting and killing your friends will make you happy?"

Kari looked at him, her heart growing cold.

"Of course. I've thought that over as well and found more happiness on this side." she said.

"Are you certain?" Jagar asked.

Kari's smile left her and she merely stared. She thought back on her deeds, the times she had with the Digidestined, and the Love she had grown with T.K. She knew her feelings, but felt cold toward them. She felt as though the thoughts only embarrassed her, made her exposed and naked. She hated the feeling and quickly tried to wash it away.

There was a deep, demonic howl from the forests beyond the Plateau. The pair looked over, knowing the coming approach of the Wolf Packs.

Kari wondered about the coming events and how they would turn for her.

And she began to second guess herself.

---

He wasn't sure why, but his heart flipped and churned in his chest the closer they got to the Castle. He wasn't sure why, but his eyes shone brighter and sharper than the moon, his strength grew and put him on top of the world, His mind was focused on everything at once. T.K found his thoughts dwelling on the sight of his sister and if she would be safe when he appeared. He thought of the digidestined, who he wasn't sure if he would meet with them during this battle, and if he did, then what would he do? Would he kill them right there? Or would he take care of them one by one? He looked to the darkened sky where night began to overtake the hidden sun. He could feel an exhilaration wash over him, but he wasn't sure why. He felt the wound on his arm from Tzadik's bite begin to pulsate and throb. He touched it gingerly, feeling a sharp pain from the teeth marks.

"What is this?" he asked himself.

"Tonight, young Lord." said Nicoli beside him. "It's the full moon. We are greatest in strength this night."

"That's why we attack tonight, then? Awesome." T.K smirked.

"You can now shift, Milord." Nicoli said gently.

"What do you mean?" T.K looked at the older wolf.

"The power of shapeshifting is a great and terrible curse, but can be put to good use. Not all wolves carry the venom to cause another to shift, and so it's rare to find a human who was bitten and not killed soon after. Tzadik has the venom needed to cause a shift. When he bit you, the venom coursed through your veins, sharpening your senses, increasing your strength and stamina, and focusing your mind. You have survived, and now can shift and become one of us." Nicoli explained. T.K looked with shock, then up to where the moon would have risen.

"It's not a permanent thing, Milord. Like Tzadik, you can shift between characters at will. There is little pain to it, and when you do, your strength is incredible. We have several of your kind within our Pack. Tonight is the first you can begin to shift." The wolf said with a sniff.

"Can I do this to others, too?" T.K asked.

"...It's rare, I'm not sure if you can Milord." Nicoli Answered.

"It'd be fun to try though." the blond smiled.

The two headed back to the encampment where the Army rested. Jyou, Sora and Mimi saw him emerge fro the trees with the Nightwalker and rushed to him.

"T.K, Is it true you're planning to kill the others?" Sora questioned.

T.K merely looked at her, blinking.

"T.K, this is crazy, you have to reconsider. Whatever happened, it wasn't their fault! I know it!" She pleaded with the blond. She touched his arm and he recoiled, curling his lips back and growling. Sora stepped back with fear of the boy.

"Don't touch me." He simply said and walked passed her.

"T.K, please!" Mimi called to him. He stopped a moment then turned to face them.

"There's going to be a battle tonight. You'd better go someplace safe." And left without another word.

"Takeru is a driven boy." said Nicoli to the digidestined. "He is determined to see this through. Very little can change his mind now. You will need a miracle to redirect his heart."

"What have you done to him?" Sora questioned shakily. Nicoli looked at her curiously. "He was a sweet boy, who would never hurt another creature. He believed in all things sacred and used his head before doing anything! Now he's an angry Wolf, looking for something to kill."

"We have done nothing to change him. Everything is of will, my dear. Perhaps he will change in your favor. Who knows? Keep hoping." Was the Wolf's final words before turning and dissapearing into the darkness of the forest.

"We have to find the others." sad Jyou.

"How? We don't even know where they could be." Said Sora.

"We have to do something. Before T.K does something we can't reverse."

They found their partners and began their trek away from the encampment. They didn't know where they would go, but they knew that they would find the right direction, as they Hoped T.K would as well.

---

There shone the brilliant blue light of what should have been the moon behind the dark skies. It rose slowly from the mountains as the Pride watched the castle. They growled and panted, hungry for blood and flesh. They wanted to maul, to tear, to kill. They were enthralled when the moon rose, giving the cats a new sense of power. Kari felt it as well, her armor glistened in the false light.

"Tonight is the night." She said to herself. The adrenaline raced through her body, leaving her shaking and shivering.

The excitement reached the whole Army as they all shook with fervor.

A voice was evident in the mass of excitement. It sang quietly to itself, comforting itself from the coming horror of the battle.

"I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain... I am... the voice of your hunger and pain..."

The words were recognizable and the lions began laughing and joining.

"I am the voice that always is calling you, I am the voice, I will remain."

"I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone, The dance on the leaves when the autumn winds blow. Ne'er do I sleep though out all the cold winter long. I am the force that in springtime will grow."

The voices echoed hauntingly over the fields and trees of the forest. The castle seemed to shake and the creatures awoke from their slumber.

"I am the voice of the past that will always be filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields."

The voices laughed and cheered until the sound was full on battle cry. Kari smiled and placed the iron mask over her face. The mask resembled a lion face and fur fell from the back like a mane. She clutched her axe, raised it to the air, and gave a loud, long battle cry. The others followed enthusiastically.

They charged.

---

Davis was glad and relieved when the others joined him. He felt that they could finally pull together and do some good. They found the Plataeu from the months before that overlooked Dark Castle. Roars and Howls could be heard all around them, wolves and lions gathered seperately.

"What's going on?" Wondered Matt.

"A fight, maybe?" Ken suggested.

"I can sense something... evil guys." Said Gabumon.

"What is it?" Asked Yolie.

"I'm not sure...."

"I feel it too." Said Gomamon. the digimon shook with a chill.

"Where?"Davis asked.

"In the trees...the rocks...the castle...It's like the Gates of Hell." Patamon said.

A loud howl erupted from the trees beneath them.

"Guys!" came Jyou's voice.

Everyone spun to the sound and saw the fugitive digidestined running to them. Wormon and Tentomon leaped into Izzy and Ken's arms happily.

"Jyou, Mimi, Sora! I thought you were all captured!" Matt said, confused.

"We were...T.K got us out." said Mimi.

"T.K? Where is he?" Matt inquired excitedly.

"I don't know, they're on their way here. They're going to fight the castle...." said Sora.

Matt turned and looked at the ominous building. T.K would be there, and he was in danger.

"We have to stop him. We need to find him."said Cody.

"No! Don't. Don't go looking for him." Palmon warned.

"Why?" Tai inquired.

"He's gone crazy." Said Gatomon from Mimi's arms. The digidestined looked at the cat and noticed in what she she was in. She looked on blindly as if she could see nothing and her fur was matted and dirty. "He's looking for you. To kill you. He won't stop until he does."

"What?" was Davis's reply.

"Because of Kari's death." said Jyou.

There was a shocked silence from the group. Yolie, Ken and Tai went deathly pale while the other merely looked on with fear.

"But... T.K... he wouldn't do such a thing." Matt said, trying to laugh of the news.

"He would...."Said Biyomon. "The look in his eyes was enough to scare a warlord. He's gone... just like Kari."

Silence and fear befell the group. No one spoke, for no one knew what to say. Davis looked put to the darkness.

"Sonya's still in the castle, isn't she?" He asked. The three nodded.

"Then we still have a reason to go in."

"What? Are you crazy? We just got out, I'm not going back in." Said Mimi fearfully.

"Well I am. She needs our help and I'm going to Save her." Davis said with anger.

Suddenly, they heard something from the trees on the plateau across the canyon. Voices, singing voices began echoing across the plateau until it was one loud and unisonous voice.

"I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone, The dance on the leaves when the autumn winds blow! Ne'er do I sleep though out all the cold winter long. I am the force that in springtime will grow!"

The digidestined listened to the demonic voices with fear struck hearts. It was as if the devil resided in the trees before them, singing his false sincerity in an unmasked voice.

"I am the voice of the past that will always be filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields!" Roars of cheers and battle cries erupted.

They knew a battle was erupt, they knew they would get caught in the middle, they knew they would see the end of something, though they weren't sure what.

They knew, though, this was the beginning of their misery.

* * *

Huh... musical lions... the Lion King Broadway!!! It's the CIIIIIIIIRCLEEEE OF LIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!!!

My bad....

Please review with your thoughts!


	4. 2: Junon: The High Priestess

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm in a wreck. I got into my first car accident, but luckily little damage was done. I was so freaked, my heart was pounding so hard, I was sure I was going to be in trouble! My car wasn't really damaged, I swerved from the blunt of the blow, but the lady who hit me got scuffed on the front. I feel like an idiot! Being my first accident, I didn't know what to do, we didn't exchange information, and she seemed pretty non-nonchalant, but DUDE! This is making it in my story somehow....

I'm sorry for the rant, please read and enjoy.

* * *

"_Maybe letting them do what they thought was right… wasn't a good idea. People make mistakes, and Heaven knows T.K has made many…. Should I have been more selfish and kept him to myself…? No, then we wouldn't have gotten anywhere. 'Twas a fair road they were on… one that led seventeen seconds to anywhere. I only wish I'd of known that anywhere would be nowhere…. Then maybe they'd have lived…." __**Sonya - Odaiba Cemetery.**_

---

**The High Priestess – This card represents wisdom. Sageness. Common Sense. Enlightenment. Knowledge. Education. Penetration. Foresight. Intuition. Understanding. Intelligence. Comprehension.**

Silence's cold hand gripped the castle with a fog. The blood and carcasses lay decomposing among the grass and dirt, unseen by the residents of the stone fortress.

Sonya's eyes nearly bled with tears from the pain of the battle.

---

_The lions charged into the recesses of the fortress walls. The creatures chained to the walls were set loose and they attacked, sending a shock wave of violence through the army. The creatures, as Kari noticed, were mutated beasts with horns, wings and shredded bodies. A creature with the body of a horse, legs of a lion, and the head of a Dog jumped and commenced in tearing one of the cat's arms until Kari sliced its head off. She stormed through the mess of warriors, creatures, and monsters, searching through the bodies for her target. She sliced left and right through the air at nothing and everything. She tore through Wolves, Coyotes, Birds, and other creatures with blinding rage. She saw her cats get cut and sliced around her and she grew angrier._

_A group of Irish Wolfhounds ran at her, snarling and foaming at the mouth. She kicked the closest one in the chest and elbowed another in the face, sending them backwards and bleeding. The others were hacked to pieces by her merciless blade. Blood, tissue, organs, heads, and other body parts rolled and flew. the creatures on the wall were in steady supply as they continued streaming from the gates of the walls. Mutated gryphons, giants, elves, faeries, and trolls shredded their ways through Kari's army. Another loud howl erupted and Kari saw a wave of wolves fall from the mountain. They bit through and tackled down the creatures maliciously. Kari knew that T.K was there._

_She searched through the blood and bones, cutting down anyone who got in her path. The cats, knowing she was on a rampage, swiftly moved out of her way, throwing dogs and creatures at her feet. None were spared._

_Ten more minutes of pain and decadence flared through the armies, until She found her target._

_---_

_T.K knew that there would be trouble. He felt the presence of something dark and cold, but he wasn't sure just what it was. It was a familiar feeling, though. He wondered greatly, but pushed the thought from his mind._

_'No... it couldn't be....' he thought. He searched, none the less. he searched and fought and lived and killed. He searched and fought once more, and killed again. He searched further and found a glimpse of brown hair, then was attacked form behind. He felt for the bobcat's throat and tore it from his body. Rain began to pour, washing away the bloody fields for the continuous onslaught to start anew. He ran pass a group of shredded Nigtwalkers which, he noticed, were Irish Wolfhounds. He took a moment, smelling a faint, familiar fragrance around the bodies. His eyes widened with fear and hope. He sprinted through the bodies of monsters and creatures, looking for the scent._

_Howls and roars and screams of anger and pain rose through the air as he searched. No animal, no creature, no monster, no human was spared. The scent grew stronger. It was covered with blood, but T.K recognized Kari's smell. The sweet scent of Jasmine rolled through his senses passed the blood and decay. _

_'It can't be. It's a trick of my imagination. It's a trap set by Shadow... anything but this.' he thought wildly. He continued his search. A cat was thrown into his path and, in a sudden rage, he tore it to pieces. The puma was thrown off guard and had no chance. The wolves howled for their general._

_he thought perhaps the smell was a trick set by the cats to distract him. he contented himself and dowsed his hopes and turned, once more to the battle field. With dejection, pain, and depressed anger, he strode through the battle once more. He punched, clawed, kicked, and shredded, and decimated everything in his wake. _

_He smelt the scent once more and heard a sound. _

_"T.K...." _

_Everything slowed, everything went silent. He turned and saw Kari standing before him, ruby eyes glaring into his with a fire he'd never seen before. For once, in the time he was with the wolves, he felt a burn in his heart, driving it to speed and drum rapidly against his chest._

_She was alive, and here, before him._

_The thought was halted when a blade was run through his beating heart._

_---_

_Sonya watched helplessly as the battle raged below her. She could do nothing to stop the slaughter. She felt sick at the smell of the blood and rising corpses and she felt faint with the knowledge that she was a cause. She knew T.K was in the battle, she knew Kari was in the battle, she knew they were looking for a way in. She knew T.K would find her as she was. Se wondered how he would take her. Would he be angry with her? Would he be upset, would he join her? Would he understand? What was there to understand? Could anyone understand? She didn't, herself. She felt the guilt hit her like a train wreck. It was as if a toxin in her body had left her suddenly, opening her eyes and her mind to what had truly happened. It was all like a dream until then._

_She wished it would have been a dream._

_The reality of the deaths below made her close to fainting, and she wanted nothing more than to make it stop._

_But it wouldn't stop. And she knew it._

_Then she saw him. She saw her brother run swiftly through the masses, cutting down the monsters that got in his way. She lost him among the hordes, but his bright hair and eyes made him easily targeted again. She knelt fearfully, eyes wide with terror, begging to what ever God was listening to bring him to her safely. She continued watching over him, waiting for the battle to stop suddenly, for him to sprout wings and fly to her, for any miracle. She found none. Then she saw her. She saw Kari slice through everything in her path monstrously. She knew she was angry, she knew of her resurrection and her rage for the digidestined. She wondered what would happen if she and T.K crossed paths, for she also knew her her passion. She knew of Kari's burning love, and rage. Would she hold him, or kill him? Sonya's fear grew deeper. _

_Turning to the door, Sonya saw Shadow, Timmy, and Darcy standing before her._

_"Ti'dramnock... Darcy... Good work. Brilliant how you formed the battle against the creatures. Now the subject will fall into my hands. And thank you as well, Sonya. You too have been an excellent calamity." Shadow laughed._

_"My sons, your initiation is complete. Ti'dramnock and Darcy are now Jyinn, Sonya. Did you know? They have finally completed their initiation. Now they can command the regions freely. Under my rule of course." Shadow laughed._

_Sonya looked on nervously._

_"And so I gave them the choice of who they would like to take on as apprentice and they asked for you, my dear. You're ALL theirs." he emphasized all menacingly and walked away, laughing. The brothers descended on the fearful blond forcing her to the window and thrust her body against the glass. _

_"You see your brother? You see his lover? They will meet soon, I wager." Said Darcy._

_"Yeah, and They'll be duking it out!" Said Timmy unintelligibly. Darcy with a smirk, began familiarizing himself with Sonya's hips, making her struggle against his cold hands._

_"Let me go!" She shouted._

_"Say the magic words." He whispered in her ear, sending a chill down her spine. _

_She opened her eyes and saw T.K facing Kari in the battle. They were still, they were silent among the masses. Kari drew closer to him and time slowed for her eyes. Everything turned grey as the boy was suddenly pierced in the heart with a stray arrow.  
_

_Sonya's blood rushed to her face and didn't even think to struggle as the boys pulled her from the window and threw her onto her bed. She only thought of the pain inflicted on her his heart, and on hers._

_---_

_The arrow protruded from T.K's beating heart. He watched Kari's face as the blood spilled form his chest. She drew closer to him slowly. Her eyes were sad and scared. It was as if they were apart of the innocents, not knowing why the battle occurred but were apart of it. As if they were returned to their human selves. Kari's eyes, however, destroyed this hope as they glared a fiery ruby color. _

_She touched the arrow on his chest, making him shiver, and she jerked it out._

_He cried out in pain and sunk to the ground as the life poured form his heart. He touched the brunette's hand, but she made no movement for him. _

_She never let go, though...._

_She heard a bugle sound in the masses and turned to leave. As she did, a set of lions and pumas jumped at the blond's throat.  
_

_T.K felt the ice form over the surface of his heart, leaving him cold and steely._

_He closed his eyes sadly to the attack, but a sudden rhythm sounded in his ears. His eyes shot open, glowing a brilliant yellow/white. As the cats landed, He tore at their flesh and armor, sending pieces flying to the air around him. His vision had gone monochrome, his senses heightened, his sadness grew into a low howl. He faced the moon and let his heart be consumed with ice and his body darken._

_He felt the shift, and he embraced it. His bones cracked, extended, and and widened, dark golden fur grew thickly over his body, his muscles grew to outstanding sizes, and his form began to hunch and grow. As soon as the pain came, it was gone. T.K was taller than the the creatures, and he felt alive._

_Before the hordes of beasts was a new Creature, a golden Nightwalker._

_One who's heart was torn from his soul, and he felt no mercy._

_A scream rang though his ears and he jerked his massive head toward the dark castle. His greyed vision saw one single lit window and he knew the sound. He recognized the scent form the room above and he charged for it. He climbed the walls of the fortress and jumped through the canopy of the trees. He grasped the stones that built the outer walls of the castle and climbed swiftly. The Nightwalker felt pains on his thighs, arms, and chest. He knew something terrible was happening, and he would stop it._

_He gave an ungodly howl, sending demons running through the air and battle. All sound within the castle stopped and he knew he had them He tore through the window and the scents of sin and pain filtered through the air. His monochrome vision scanned for his target and he saw two figures cowering in fear by the bedside. The boys arted through the door, slamming it shut from the wolf and he nearly gave chase, had a pained sound not come form the bed. He jerked his body back to face the sound, and his shoulders sagged. The only color in the world to him was the young woman clutching at the sheets painfully. She watched the wolf fearfully, wondering what else could possibly befall her, when she saw the silver pendant around his mighty throat. _

_The massive wolf went to her cautiously. She recognized the blue eyes and the golden hair and she swept down on the creature and embraced hi,m. _

_"T.K! Oh My God!" she sobbed. unable to speak she simply held him tightly. T.K examined the wounds on the girl's body, finding bruises, gashes, and abuse. Blood spatted the sheets, her scent floated into the air. He grew sick with the sight, knowing how close they came to taking her, if they hadn't already...._

_He growled viciously and stood on his hind legs. Lifting the girl into his arms, he gently carried her out the door. He would kill the two who had committed the sin against his sister. He would kill anyone who tried to get close to her. He contracted this in his mind as he carried the wounded girl through the corridors._

_"T.K, the entrance is four floors below." said Sonya meekly in his ear. He snorted and dashed through the stone halls to the stairs, flying through the steps to the first floor._

_Shadow stood before him at the entrance._

_"Hello, Sonya, Takeru. How was your randevu, my dear?" Shadow asked with a sickening smile._

_T.K set the girl down gently and stepped in front of her. He gave a low and vicious growl._

_"My My My, violent I see. Are you still sore over your dulled love life?" Shadow laughed, finding much humor in his 'jokes.'_

_T.K nearly attacks, but a voice in his head screamed "No! We want this! Stay and be a good boy!" _

_Tojima's voice echoed in his mind, and T.K reluctantly followed. He put his paw down and knelt beside the girl._

_"Shadow, you've had your fun. Please stop this." Sonya begged._

_Shadow laughed once more._

_"Fun? We haven't even scratched the surface of my entertainment!"_

_The sounds outside began to fade and die away slowly. T.K, in a sudden rush, began to wonder what was becoming of his troops._

_He looked out the door urgently, then back at Sonya._

_"I'll be here, T.K. Check your wolves... make sure they're okay." she said lowly, looking at Shadow with a glare._

_T.K rand passed Shadow and growled at him as he did so._

_He felt as though it was a mistake to leave his sister where she was, but he also felt it was a mistake to leave his troops so precariously._

_He fell into the battle outside to find the monsters lying deceased among the ground._

_A panther crept up behind him and took a swing at his back with a club. T.K dodged the attack and caught the club before his head. He held the cat up by the weapon and snarled. The at, no doubt, cold see his reflection in the wolf's teeth, and so grew ghostly pale. T.K bit a chunk out of the cat's neck and let him lye on the ground in a bleeding heap._  
_The final bits of the battle between the cats and dogs unfurled for another fifteen minutes.  
_

_The Wolves and Lions fought intensely, finding a duty in themselves to tear each other to as many shreds as physically possible._

_The Massive oak doors to the castle creaked and moaned dangerously. No one had noticed them open, and were now aware of them closing._

_"Quickly!" Came Tojima's voice. "Get back inside!"_

_T.K darted as fast as he possibly could back to the oak doors. Beside him, he found a blur of a grey mask and golden brown mane running along side._

_They raced to the doors and landed on the stone steps just as the doors closed completely._

_T.K began to feel himself change back slowly. As this happened, he and the figure both stood equally before Shadow, who sat in his throne across the room._

_T.K's form returned to that of a human, only his torn and worn pants remained of his clothes and armor._

_"Congratulations., my fine warriors. You've passed the test." said Shadow._

_The pair looked at each other and, glaringly, looked away._

_They had made it equally. This would prove to be a more difficult task for both than imagined._

_Megara appeared beside Shadow with a wooden box. She opened it, revealing to be full of dust she took a handful of the dust and blew it into the opponents faces. T.K grew hazy and clouded as the Dust settled. Everything went white, then returned a moment later. He found himself dizzy and confused.  
_

_"You will do as I say without question or struggle. You will gather what I request and you shall submit to every test I lay upon you. Do you understand?" Shadow said darkly.  
_

_They nodded.  
_

_"Hm hm, very good."_

_---_

Sonya sniffed, feigning tears from the previous events.

Because of the 'Memory Dust', or so Shadow called it, T.K was unable to recollect anything that happened. He didn't recall the incident with her and Darcy, and how T.K rescued her. He didn't remember the battle, he didn't remember how he even arrived. Sonya observed her brother's silent loyalty for Shadow wit confusion and soon realized that the same trick was used on her many months before.

She felt, however, that the effects had worn off, but for how long?

She prayed that she and T.K would leave soon and put everything behind them. She would find later that there was little hope for this, no matter how much she prayed and begged.

Several days had passed. She looked out the windows, feeling the presence of the digidestined and praying for their safe return home. She wished they would just leave so she would know they would be alright, but to no avail. She caught glimpses of the group outside the castle. Like vultures, they remained among the bodies and rocks, watching the castle, looking for a way in.

She hoped they would, and she hoped they wouldn't.

---

The digidestined were in a ghostly shock at the events they had just witnessed. The four hour battle, it seemed like forever, and it seemed like only moments. The cats and Dogs separated, circling the castle and feasting on the decrepit bodies menacingly.

They were unable to fight due to the weakness of their partners. The sky drained the life slowly from the digimon, making it difficult just to walk.

Davis wondered what became of T.K and Kari. He could have sworn he saw the figure of the blond shape into a wolf at one point, but he lost him soon afterward.

"This isn't real." said Sora.

Everyone looked at her.

"How could we have come to this?" She asked.

"I don't know, Sora, but we'll be okay." Said Matt.

"How will we be okay? We couldn't fall into the ranks, much less get those beasts. Kari and T.K, I saw them enter the castle...."

"You did? So they're alive?" Asked Jyou.

"I'm not sure..." Mimi said meekly. "Do you think he would let them live? Put them in the dungeons like he did with us?"

"I don't think so." Gatomon coughed. "I think they're goners."

"Don't talk like that, Gatomon." Said Tai aggressively. He quieted himself a moment and watched the cats behind them to see if they heard. When the cost was clear, he returned to the digimon.

"We'll get them out, we'll get them to safety, and we will find you a cure."

"The Orenda have yet to find one in the first place. How would the woves or the cats find one? Pull it out of the air?" The little digimon coughed once more and looked back out into the nothingness of her dark world.

There was a depressed silence.

"Hey, I think there's someone in that window." said Cody, trying to distract form the thickness of the atmosphere. The group looked up and, sure enough, there was a figure in the widow, looking ot to the vastness of the previous battle.

Tai pulled out his mini-telescope and peered through at the figure.

"It's Sonya!" He said.

"Sonya? Is she alright?" Davis inquired immediately.

"She's crying." Said Tai.

"She must have some kind of regret...." Izzy wondered aloud.

"Good, she betrayed us for that monster! If it were me, I'd-"

"Tai, enough. For all we know, this ws a trap of some kind. She must gotten drawn in somehow." said Matt defensively.

"You're only saying that because she's your sister.

"Yes, and because it's very probable." Matt argued back.

"Well, what do we do now?" Asked Ken.

Another silence.

"Well, T.K was looking for us for a while... not not show ourselves?" suggested Yolie.

"Why would we do that?" Asked Ken.

"Well, he is out for revenge, right? Maybe showing ourselves would get us in alive... maybe. That's what I would do, anyway." Yolie said.

"Well, before we get detailed into that plan, does anyone have anything else?" Davis questioned. "We can't just sit here and let whatever is happening in there go by. I'm getting in, even if it means going with Yolie's crazy plan."

"Come on, Davis, use some common sense. It's useless trying to get in now. We need to let our digimon's strength raise before we can do anything." said Tai.

"But they're in there now, Tai." Davis complained.

"I think I'm with Davis one this one, guys...." Said Yolie.

Everyone looked at her.

"Think about it.... Shadow is twisted and want us to suffer before dying, right? That's how we can get in. We'll draw ourselves into his 'plan' and get in right under his nose. What if we said we switched our point of view? Pretend to join him? I'll bet you that's what T.K and Kari did." Yolie explained. " with persuation, we can find out where T.K, Kari and SOnya are, and where the pendant might be."

"But what if it doesn't work?" Asked Sora.

"It'll have to." said Davis finally. "I'm not leaving Sonya...."

"If we're going to do this, then we should find out how we'll infiltrate." said Ken.

"Right." Jyou agreed. I think half should remain out of the castle and gather with Gennai and get the army together. We'll find a way to contact each other. Maybe through the birds."

"Good idea." Matt agreed, finding a liking for the plan.

"The digimon are to sick and weak, they can't go back in, it should just be us...." Izzy added.

"We need to find a way to stay away form the Dungeons."  
Tai said finally. Everyone smiled.

"Yeah, once we're there, We're never getting back out." Mimi said with a shiver.

"Alright. So who stays and who goes?" asked Cody.

How about this? Jyou, you take Sora, Mimi, Izzy, Cody, and Matt with you to the village. Take the digimon to rest and regain their strength." said Tai.

"Wait a minute, Tai, I'm going in, you should go to the village." said Matt.

"No, I'm not letting my sister alone in there." Tai said.

"Neither will I let my brother and Sonya go by." Matt countered.

"Guys, we'll be alight." Said Davis. "Both of you rally the troops and return as soon as you can. We'll contact each other through the birds, as Jyou said."

"It sounds good to me." said Ken.

"And me." Yolie said.

The others nodded, whereas Tai and Matt looked uneasy, but they eventually nodded with agreement.

"We'll find a way in. Once we get back." said Tai reassuringly.

"Alright. we start at dawn." said Davis.

The group looked back to the crying figure in the window, awating their arrival, or her death.

* * *

Alright, so, Can I please get reviews for this chapter? Fanfiction shut down just aftrer posting the lat one so I got...like...one review.... if that....

It's quite discouraging actually.

Please review and tell me what you think!


	5. 3: L'imperatrice: The Empress

Maybe I should go update Benedy Glenn...

I don't need to say anything yet, but I will be gone for a while this spring and this Summer. I'll give more detail the further we get to the date.

BY THE WAY!!!

Just incase you haven't read the story before this, Lest We Forget is the beginning of this series. It's in my profile, go read if thou wishith it. This will make more sense, that way, for the plot starts there.

Thank you. enjoy.

* * *

"_If I fell like they did, would they try as hard as I to save me? I don't know… I didn't think we'd have to stoop so low to save Kari or T.K…. They fell so far; I thought we'd never even find them… I don't think we ever really did…."_ **Yolie – Gate to the Realm of Darkness.**

**---**

**The Empress – This card symbolizes feminine progress. Evolution. Attainment. Fruitfulness. Accomplishment. Achievement. Marriage. Material Wealth. Fertility.**

**---**

"Day two, three forty-five P.M. I've progressed into the bio-weaponry; isolated subjects have shown promising results." Said T.K into a recording device. He had a head-set over his ears and a microphone before his mouth to take in his voice. As he spoke, he walked through a series of dungeons on the lower fifth level of the castle. He looked into each sealed doorway at the 'subjects', finding small pox, Malaria, Bubonic disease, Neglaria, and more within each.

"The subjects have been separated respectively by disease type. Antidotes are still not taking affect." He sighed and stopped at one door.

"Subjects 035, 042, 113, and 014, now deceased. Combination disease has yet to create lasting effect on subjects. Further testing required. Separate dosages and altered various combination's required." And he continued from the blackened and decaying corpses in the room.

"Subjects 009, 021, 045, and 093 still living. 009's combination of Malaria and Small Pox has little effect." T.K looked at the burly man with a raised brow. "Mountaineer, heavy endurance. Subject could be useful for military development." He continued to the other subjects with less enthusiasm. "Remaining subjects, effects of diseases slowed, Antidote taking affect. 009 will be removed for further study." And he continued on. Finishing his rounds, he left the dungeons and sealed the doors.

"T.K, how's your studying?" Asked Soya beside him as he walked down tr halls.

"Hey there, Going good. I think we found a survivor. Cool how the Germ war-fare idea was taken on. I didn't think Shadow would let me use the dungeons for my research." Said T.K with a smile.

Sonya smiled back, greatly pained by his own sickness.

"Sonya, you've been acting a little edgy for the past few days. Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Perfectly fine." Sonya said, falling into gloominess as the events of the week before played in her mind.

"Yeah right, I'm your brother, I know what you're feeling, but I don't know why."

"It's nothing, T.K. Please don't ask about it." Sonya said quietly. T.K knew she was sore about something, though he wasn't sure what.

As a crude method of distraction, he cleared his throat and looked at the woman.

"I wonder where She went. It's like she's a ghost, floating in space."

"I don't know. Shadow had her taken somewhere for a special task." Sonya answered, also wondering about said brunette's whereabouts.

---

Her agony, her emotions, her distrusts, her ultimate suffering… it all washed over her again and again like waves of despair. Her heart broke when she saw the arrow hit his heart, but she did nothing.

No, she did. She worsened his pain/. She wanted nothing more than to squeeze the life from his beating heart, and when it came to it, she became soft.

What was she thinking?

Kari walked the steps to the tower directed by Shadow. Four researchers in white lab coats led her along the winding stairs to their destination. Three men and a woman; none looked at her, non made eye contact with anything or anyone. Not even each other.

Kari wondered how well they communicated, or if this was merely a joke. The reached their destination, which, Kari found, was a large silver room filled with lab equipment and glass containers. A large Glass Column was centered in the room. All the machines and computers circled it as if whatever was inside was their main focus.

"Miss, We'll have to strip your clothes and sedate you, but only for a moment." Said the woman.

"Why?" Kari asked.

"For our studies. We can't very well observe your natural body temperature with your clothes trapping the heat." The researcher said with a smile. Kari refused to look at the men, but complied.

Her clothes were removed and a sedative was given to her through a shot to her neck.

Her world went black and she was on the verge of slumber. However, a force kept her barely aware of her surrounding.

_"Don't fall asleep."_ said Karakin's voice. _"Don't trust anyone."_

Kari couldn't move her body and she couldn't open her eyes, but eventually, she could hear everything around her. As if in a black dream, she recognized each voice and registered each action upon her body.

Needles, Prongs, Blades, and cold latex hands touched her body, cut her arms and legs, and pricked her blood streams. She felt herself be hoisted up and lowered into cold water. She wanted to shiver, but her body remained motionless. She felt tubes, wires, and lines being run in and out of her arms, legs, head, and torso. It felt strange, but not exactly painful. She remained propped in the water by a mechanical arm, disallowing her from falling to the bottom of wherever she was at. She heard muffled voices from the surface of the water.

"Her vital signs are perfect. I've never seen someone so fit. I'm surprised she survives without any body fat at all." came the woman's voice.

"I know. No wonder Shadow wants her for his Dark Guards Program. She's a perfect specimen." came one of the male's voices.

Her brows twitched, the only movement she could give.

"Remember, we have to make some alterations. Before we begin, let's inject another dosage of the sedative, before this one wears off." came another voice and, a moment later, Kari felt a needle inject into her arms, filling her bloodstreams with the sedative and knocking her out completely.

---

Sonya followed Shadow through the halls as he gave her orders, instructions, and directions to write down for future reference. She barely let the buzzing of his voice register as she wrote. Looking out a window, she saw the earth, barren and death before the corpses and dried blood from the battle days before. She sighed, saddened by the sight of death and decay among the masses.

Then she saw them. Sonya strained her vision to the rocks beyond the bodies. She leaned out the window slightly for a better view, ignoring Shadow's voice altogether.

The digidestined darted from boulder to boulder, being as stealthy as they could and avoiding the creatures that stalked the fortress.

Davis looked up at the castle every few steps, as if watching for someone. He spotted her suddenly and stopped abruptly. Their eyes made contact and Sonya's heart leaped into her throat. For a brief moment, as she looked into the boy's chocolate eyes, she felt a sense of peace. But, abruptly, she was shaken out of the feeling and she shook her head. She signaled for him to hide, gesturing widely with her arms to leave. Shadow came beside her just as Davis hid behind another boulder.

"What the devil are you doing, Girl?" He questioned.

"Oh... The wolves are making a complete mess of the court yard. I was shooing them away." She said with fake obedience.

He raised a brow, then nodded and continued on his way. Sonya followed, dreading and Praying for Davis's arrival to the castle and safe return away from it.

This castle is a fine establishment, is it not, my dear?" Asked Shadow with a smirk.

"Yes sir." Said Sonya.

"No one can break in or out of the compound, not without my consent. Right?"

"Yes Sir."

"Not even your little friends."

Sonya froze.

"Yes," Shadow stopped and looked at her. "I know they're planning to break into the castle. I've had the Lions watch them very carefully. I knew they'd come looking for you and your brother. But you know what, my dear? I'm ready for them. They want to kill me, then let them come. I can tear them right out of the sky with a whim." he chuckled, eyes wide and Sonya was sure he was falling into mania.

"I will let them come. I will play them like a violin, and you can't do anything but watch. Is that right my dear?"

Sonya hesitated a moment, then answered. "Yes Sir."

"Very good." he turned and continued walking away. Sonya leaned against a window sill for support.

"And My dear, Your will is as good as mine. Though your loyalty is no longer with me, I have full power over you. So don't try to help any of your little rats out of the castle once their in." Shadow cackled.

" Yes Sir." Sonya forced.

"Now then...A simple lie, perhaps promising the Boy's safety? Or that of the girl? Hm, so many decisions, which should I use to sway them?" Shadow pondered to himself as he walked away.

"A lie always returns; be careful how you catch it." Sonya warned absentmindedly.

Shadow looked at her once more, then disappeared into the darkness of the next corridor.

---

Davis and the others slithered about the boulders, looking around to ensure their safety.

Looking around the final boulder before a long sprint, Yolie watched the wolves pass them slowly. One had a pipe in his jaws, smoking tobacco of some sort, and the other merely talked away. They stopped now and again to argue a point and continued on their way to stop and argue once more. Once they were passed, Yolie turned to the group.

"Alright. we have a good sprint, can we handle this without getting caught?" she asked for the final time.

"I'm stoked, let's go." Said Davis seriously. They took a second to ensure there were no more creatures and they darted from the boulder.

They rushed as fast as their legs would allow them. One after another, Davis, Ken, Yolie, and Cody all arrived before the walls of the fortress.

They pressed themselves against the wall and into the darkness. They felt their way around to the great oak doors leading to the interior.

"How do we get in?" Whispered Ken.

Suddenly, the doors creaked and moaned as they began to open. They moved slowly, as if age altered their movements, then the gateway was clear for entry. The digidestined were baffled, but found a clearing and moved in. The castle was desolate, dark, cold. It was made entirely of stones with fantastic archways, carpets, and marble fireplace to the side, and gold lining the ceilings and the walls.

A grand throne was seated at the far end of the hall. its gold lined design and scarlet fabric made it appear royal, but traces of blood were evident.

Something was wrong, and the digidestined knew it.

"Why did the doors open so easily?" asked Cody.

"I don't know..." Yolie started, feeling anxious about the room. "Do you think we were expected?"

"You know... we just might be...." Said Ken darkly.

"That doesn't matter right now. We got in and now we need to find Sonya and the others." Davis whispered to them and started walking down the Hall slowly.

"Why hello there!" Came a male voice from behind. Everyone turned and saw Darcy standing before a now closed door.

"I see you let yourself in. How charming." He said with a raised brow.

The group said nothing, for they had nothing to say. They held their silence as if it would hold their lives.

This was how it was supposed to be....

"Well, I have my orders to take you to Tojima's Vessel... what was his name... Takeru? Yeah, he has a project for you, and Shadow wants you started right away." Darcy said and snapped his fingers.

_'Project?'_ Davis though. _'What project?'_

Before they could blink, a set of misshapen elf creatures dropped form the ceiling and held them by the arms.

"Take them to the dungeons. They need to be fitted into their housing-wear." Darcy smiled.

The elves took the group through cold and damp passages and down many flights of stairs.

"Why did they let us in?" Asked Cody.

"I don't know.... What do you think he meant by project?" Davis asked in return.

"This isn't right guys..." said Yolie shakily. "It shouldn't be this easy to get in and live."

"Well don't complain." said Davis. After a few flights of stairs and a series of chilly corridors, the elves led the digidestined right into another damp room. This room was filled with scraps and clothing material. The elves retrieved handfuls of the cloth and ordered for the digidestined to strip. They looked at each other and refused.

In aggravation, the elves gritted their teeth and moved forward.

---

His memories were heavily clouded. He couldn't think of it, but he knew something was gnawing at Sonya, and at him. something happened, but he just couldn't place it. He simply could not imagine what could have harmed Sonya. He knew it, though. He knew of her pain, and he shared it.

_'What is it? Why won't she tell me?' _he brooded in the dark of his stony room. He sat at the desk, tapping his pen absently.

He could feel it, he could taste it, smell it, but he couldn't see it.

"Hey Doc." Said Ven from his door frame.

"What? I'm busy." T.K said, not looking at the door.

"You have a line up to pick from. Get a move on to level five."

"A pick of what?"

"Of hands. Darcy just recruited some of those kids as workers in the castle."

T.K froze a moment, then finally turned to look at the redhead.

"You mean to say you caught the digidestined?" He asked.

"No, they came walking in. They thought they could act all chivalrous and save you and Sonya, but they had another thing coming." Ven laughed. T.K smiled lightly with him, but only halfheartedly.

_'Now what were they thinking?'_ he asked himself. He had to see this. He barely thought of the digidestined since arriving in the castle. He knew, also, of a sense of hatred for them and a desire to kill them, but he couldn't remember why. He had forgeten, ever since the battle. Even then, he couldn't recall why.

As he made his way to the dungeons of the fifth level, T.K let his mind wander again.

Besides not remembering what happened to Sonya, he couldn't recall most of the battle. He remembered that one even took place, and he remember seeing Kari. He remembered the shock and relief wash over him as she came closer. He lost his memories of everything else otherwise. He only had a scar over his heart to give him clue to what happened. He was attacked shortly after seeing Kari, or shortly before perhaps.... Perhaps she or Sonya was in danger and he fought off the attacker. He placed numerous ideas into his head, but none of them stuck as the correct memory. He tried to leave it alone and concentrate on the issue at hand at that point. He had to pick his hands for his experiments, and he had to choose from a group of people he felt a phantom hatred for.

_'Why do I even feel this way?'_ he asked, completely baffled by his feelings.

He opened the doors to the fifth level dungeons and saw a pair of misshapen elves before him.

"They wait for you in room three, sir." Said said in unison. T.K raised a brow, but complied, finding himself shaking his head at the now ordinary aspect of mutated creatures.

Upon entering the room, he noted the stench of death. Corpses lay chained to the walls and racks, old blood still staining the stones. He saw, in a cage, the digidestined sitting in a circle talking. They appeared to be figuring a way out, or so T.K assumed. As he approached, he caught onto their discussion.

"Well, if he does pick one randomly, they have to try and see the others as often as possible. He must have information about the other two. Once we have it, we can find a way out and save them." said Davis. They noticed T.K was standing at the door of the cage, arms crossed.

"What did you do now?" He asked.

"T.K." said, standing and clutching the bars. "What happened? How did you get in here?"

"I would like to ask you the same thing. Now, hands." He said.

The group looked at each other with confusion.

"Ugh... let me see you hands." T.K said with a sigh.

The digidestined were thoroughly confused, but held they hands through the bars for T.K to see. T.K inspected each hand carefully, drawing lines along the creases as he went. He pulled their ragged sleeves and checked their arms, looked into their eyes, pulled back their lips to see their teeth, and sifted through their hair.

Eventually and cracked his neck and looked over at the Elves.

"How many can I have?"

"Two, at the most. But it would be pushing the limit, sir." said one of the creatures.

T.K blew the hair from his eyes and turned back to the group. Well, I don't wanna overload, I'll take this one." He pointed fleetingly to Davis and walked away. The elves opened the cage and pulled Davis out and tossed him at T.K T.K caught him by the arm and gave him a critical look.

"Don't run. Understand? Don't. Run." he said under his breath to the brunette. The elves went to cuff and chain the boy, but T.K refused, saying the Brunette wouldn't go anywhere. After much debate about the logistics of chaining the prisoner, T.K was allowed to take Davis away without constraint.

"I can't allow you to see the others without me there. If you are in the vicinity of the other Digidestined and give them any information that would jeopardize me or anyone in the castle, I will have to kill you. If you try to slip away to tell them anything, at any point of day or night, I will have to kill you. If you send a message through anything or anyone, I will have to kill you and the messenger. Do you understand?" T.K informed.

Davis listened rigidly.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" He asked. T.K looked at him with a raised brow.

"Doing what?"

"This! Working with Shadow, hunting the digidestined, all of it!"

"Well, I can answer the first, I'll get back to you with the second, I can answer the third...." T.K listened and looked up to think.

"Shadow, because Sonya's here. I don't have to agree with him, I don't have to agree with myself. Just as long as I'm doing my work, Sonya's safe, and I'll be that much closer to getting her out of here. Everything... Well I like to eat, I like to walk, I like to breathe, I like living in general. That's why I do everything...."

"Dude, you know what I'm talking about." Davis said gruffly, making T.K snicker. He led him through the passeges to the center of the castle.

"Why did you pick me?" Asked Davis.

"You have the immune system of a supernatural Ox. I need that." was T.K's answer.

"Why do you need my immune system?"

"Because, my friend," T.K opened the door leading to he cellars. "You're gonna be the advocate for the dead."

---

"Vital signs still showing positive. I think we're actually moving along on this project." said one of the researchers surrounding Kari's tank. The girl was suspended in a tank filled with green tinted water. She was wired to the machines surrounding her, giving them signs of her health and bodily progression. Kari awoke several times to find the researchers prodding her with some metal object, cutting open her arms, or inserting another vial of strange liquid into her system. And every time she would struggle, and every time she would be re-sedated.

She woke once again, but remained still. She merely floated in the water, her breathing and and heart beat controlled by the machines around her.

_'I wonder what would happen if hey broke....' _she wondered to herself.

"She's active again. This is the fourth time shes awoken this single trial." said the lady scientist with exasperation.

"It's alright. It simply means she's stronger than predicted." Said a new elder scientist. He stood facing Kari with a smile, his hands behind his back and his grey hair tinted with the water's reflection.

"Insert the Dark Matter." he ordered. One of the scientists pressed a code into their computer and a shooting pain erupted through Kari's body. She felt her body shiver with an icy cold. She thought the tank would freeze and ice over for a moment, but then everything caught on fire. Her blood coursed heavily and quickly with a surge of energy. She felt static begin to emanate off of her and travel in currents through the water of the tank. The only movement form her, however, was a twitch through her torso as her muscles contracted and loosened. Her hair swayed gently in the the slight convulsions stopped.

Everything was calm.

"Vitals." ordered the elder scientist.

"Blood pressure: regular. Respiratory: regular. Organ function: regular. Brain activity: abnormal." said one of the scientists as he read the results.

"Abnormal. In what way?" Asked the elder.

"Abnormal as in, uncommon capacity. The usage percentage is incredible. I didn't see this in the last scan." the scientist answered.

"What percentage is her brain operating at?"

"68 percent, sir."

_'How strange. the Dark Matter from the Black Canyon is having an intellectual effect on the girl.'_ the elder thought curiously._ 'The average human uses about ten to fifteen percent. This is outstanding. I wonder if we can tap into this....'_

Kari watched them talk from under her eyelashes. she felt a numbness in her head and heard a slight ringing. once it disappeared, she suddenly saw something. She saw a spot of light from of the machines to her right. She didn't move her head, but she watched the light from her side vision and saw it was from an imperfection in the glass. a crack. Her mind began to reel with excitement as ideas came flooding to her in way of escape.

She would keep this in mind.

She knew that the scientists were testing her, were enhancing her, perfecting her to be the perfect guard. She wanted to laugh, and it would have been a hearty laugh, for she felt no love for Shadow; She wanted what was hers, and she had her sights pinned to the Pendants that was constantly in Shadow's possession.

She would take this to her advantage. She estimated several more dosages to test her limits and then release her and call it a day, until the next. She estimated 4.6 hours to herself to rest and conceive a plan. She estimated 70 percent probability of meeting T.K and Sonya within those 4.6 hours. She wouldn't kill them, yet. She would leave them for now. If it was convenient, she would take her chance, but it was too son. until then, she waited in the tank, feeling the slimy water pass over her naked skin eerily.

_'You know what I need? I nice bath. These scientists blood will do nicely.'_

And she smiled.

* * *

Huh... I think I'm fucking up the story.... Maybe I should take a break... What do you think? Please review.


	6. 4: L'empereur: The Emperor

I'm going to Hell.... Just read, You'll see why....

* * *

"_We have to remember that in times of despair, there is still a hope for something somewhere. We couldn't see ours, but it wasn't not ours to see. It was ours to feel and reach for until we've found it. Only then could we see the hope that we've searched and worked for. And it led us here… to this place of death and desolation. Sometimes I wonder if Satan is laughing at us. Maybe he is, but we can beat him. We can show him we're still strong, as long as we're here to show it."_**– Jyou: Red Dust Mountains.**

---

**The Emperor - This card represents worldly power. Competence. Proficiency. Skill. Savoir-faire. Leadership. Wealth. Stability. Perseverance. Indomitable Spirit. Conviction. Endurance. Domination of Intelligence and reason over emotion and passion. Realization of goals.**

Through the caves, through the woods, through the mountains and valleys and plains and bodies of water, the digidestined trudged along solemnly and silently. No one spoke, no one cried; no one looked at each other. Guilt and regret ate away at them, leaving emptiness in its path. There hearts were frozen, as were their souls.

'_I left them there, I let them go in by themselves… I could have pushed harder…. I should have gone in….' _Tai thought over and over. He held his arms as if a chill wrought itself on his body.

'_Why didn't we go back? They came for us, and we left them….' _Mimi and Sora thought as well. Similar thoughts raced through the digidestined's minds as they traversed the dark plains of the decaying digital world.

"We can't act like this." Said Jyou suddenly. Everyone stopped and looked at the man.

As if he read their minds, or their bodies, he looked up at the others' perplexed faces.

"We have to think as positively as we can. If we want to make it back in time, we need to hurry and stop sulking."

"You're right, Jyou… Their still alive, and we still have a chance." Said Matt, looking down. "It's just so hard…."

"I know, Tai. But we have to be strong for the others' sakes. Come on, I know we can do this." Jyou tried to encourage.

There was a short silence.

"Jyou, why don't you lead for a while?" I'm getting tired." Said Tai. A slight leap in his heart made Jyou hesitate a moment, but he stepped before the digidestined and led them through the final sector of the dark mountain pass. Soon, a village was spotted below the mountain. Hidden discreetly within the rocks, one could barely see the buildings carved from the stones.

"We're here." Said Izzy with a sigh of relief.

"I thought we'd never get here." Said Mimi with an exhausted smile.

"I told you we'd get here. We just have to tell Gennai what happened and get the army together. T.K and Kari will be okay." Jyou assured and led them down the steep slopes to the village.

---

"Teach me, Lord Satan, the knowledge of the ages. Guide me in thy wisdom. Let me feel thy presence and experience what you have for me." Came the dark muttering of the brunette's voice. Kari sat on the stone steps of the castle tower. She leaned back against the stony walls with her eyes closed. Exhaustion washed over her suddenly on her decent to her dormitory. "Don't let me be bound by irrefutable doctrines, but lead me to true freedom…." She looked up to the darkness of the stairwell, finding no one but her shadow. "Give me the strength to leave my comfort zone to explore which is forbidden by those who believe they are wise." She stood and continued her way down. She saw a shadow flash past the door at the bottom of the steps. She followed it, finding her disintegrated strength begin to renew itself. She saw the blond boy enter a small shaft in the walls and shut the wooden plank. She heard the small elevator roll downward to the lower levels of the castle.

The girl sat beside the small door and caught her breath once more.

"Kari! Hello, are you okay?" came Sonya's voice from the door way across the room.

Kari looked over and saw the girl bustling over with a tray of tea.

"How did everything go? Did the tests work out alright?"

The brunette took a moment and answered.

"They poked, prodded, and stuck tubes and wires in me. I was floating in a slimy tank for six hours with a respiratory pump attached to my lungs. The damn thing failed twice and I nearly went into cardiac arrest with the shock-wave. I can hardly walk and breath at the same time, but otherwise, My brain level has increased by mass percent."

"Oh my… I certainly hope the next procedure goes better…." Sonya said sympathetically.

"Next… procedure?"

"Yes. Didn't they tell you? Until your enhanced to Shadow's satisfaction, you will not be fully released."

Kari's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she leaned back against the walls.

"Damn…." She muttered.

"Kari… Can I ask you something?" Sonya asked, setting the tray on the floor and sitting beside the girl.

"Hmm?"

"You and T.K… You used to be inseparable. He loved you. He still does. He is always thinking about you, even when he does his studies. He can't concentrate…. He won't eat, he can't sleep… he's withering away."

Sonya pushed a tuft of hair behind her ear. "I guess what I'm trying to ask is… do you love him?"

There was a silence as Kari thought. She heaved in attempts to fill her lungs with air.

"I don't know how I feel." She said finally. She looked over at the blond and noticed something different. Her hair was limp. Her eyes were sunken and her bones were visible. She was worried, starving, unhealthy.

"There's something wrong…." She muttered inaudibly.

"Excuse me?"

"You. There's something wrong with you… is it T.K? Did he get you sick with that bio-weapon crap?"

"No, no, no! Not at all, I just can't sleep is all." Sonya looked away.

Kari saw it, the bruise on her face.

She knew immediately. She ignored the shortness of breath as she pulled Sonya's face back to face her. Kari examined the girl, who did nothing to fight back.

"Where did you get these bruises?"

"I Fell. I'm rather clumsy, Shadow is always yelling at me for it, too." Sonya said.

"No…."

Kari in her curiosity, touched Sonya's thigh and pressed.

Sonya yelped and jumped back.

Kari took the girl in her arms and held her close to her face.

"Who did it?" She demanded dangerously. Her chest was heaving, but she didn't care. She felt an inescapable sense of anger and protection for the girl.

Tears formed in Sonya's eyes.

"Kari, please, no. Let me go." Said, trying not to let the tears fall.

"Sonya, you tell me what is happening? Does T.K know about it?"

There was a silence a Sonya tried to hold herself in. She released a sob and shook her head. Kari was shaking with rage and was close to falling unconscious. She looked away a moment and heaved for another breath.

"You have to tell him. You have to tell him everything that's happening. Who is it? How long?"

"I can't say…"

"Why?!"

"He'll kill T.K." Sonya sobbed once more.

"No, he won't Shadow won't let him. He's too valuable."

"That's just it! He's not! Shadow has the notes and the information he needs. He says that T.K is valuable for another week, a month at the best, then Darcy and the others can do what they want with him."

Kari felt her heart hit the bottom of her stomach.

She leaned back against the wall, holding Sonya tightly and cooing her softly.

Why she felt the way she did, she didn't know. She wondered why her heart stopped at the boy's name, flipped at the slight of even his shadow, pounded at the sound of his voice. Did she still love him? She thought back to before the battle. She thought the same thing, and she began to soften and regret her actions.

She shook her head once more, thoroughly confused and disheveled.

She sighed.

"Take away the fear that binds me. Set me on my true path." She continued muttering quietly.

Sonya shook in her grasp, but she was controlling herself now.

"But… if you don't think I'm ready, let it be as a sunrise. Allow me to see your light as well as your darkness, the fullness of who you are…: Satan, Melek Taus, Lucifer, Azazel."

There was a roar from below them. The chandeliers shook and dust fell from the walls and ceiling.

"If I could have anything, it would be to know your truth, to believe in what is real. Not in someone else's insanity…." The walls ceased to shake, as did Sonya and wiped her tears away, though she felt no urge to pull back.

"So as I walk down this narrow road, don't let me be discouraged, as it is you who have placed me upon it."

---

The scream of a thousand men erupted from the cages, causing Davis to cover his ears with terror and alarm.

"Oh, SHUT UP!" T.K yelled back, causing a number of them to shrink back.

"Bastards don't know when to be silent." The blond muttered as he filled a syringe with a black liquid.

"What's that?" Asked Davis nervously.

"Combination. I want to see what happens when you mix two strains of malaria together."

"T.K, why are you doing this? These are living people. Innocent people."

T.K looked at Davis critically.

"I specifically pulled people with a background showing their inferiority to society. Criminals, mostly. Every creature, animal and human you see here has committed a crime of some kind, ranging from theft to murder. There is a man in the next cell block from the mountains. Butcher. Killed his kids and threw his wife off the mountain. She lived, that's how I found him. He has the strongest immune system here and I need to pull him out for further study. If I can find a way to raise the level of immunity in my soldiers, we can process our warfare with little consequence." T.K answered and injected the serum into the arms of the unfortunate prisoners as he spoke.

"It's... It's just wrong...." Davis murmured.

"Get used to it. Davis, you'll find that morality isn't a very high priority here. I lost mine a long time ago. You should learn to forget yours, too."

Davis stood in a cold silence. the room seemed to freeze with T.K's nonchalant words. It was then that Davis saw the hollow of T.K's bones, the paleness of his skin, and the dullness in his eyes. However bright they may have shined in their unnatural glow, Davis saw death in them.

"T.K... where's Kari?" he asked, wondering if his question would probe the blond and answer his curiosity.

"Not here, as you might have noticed. She's out wandering the castle somewhere. Sonya said something about her undergoing a test of some kind." Said T.K softly.

Davis knew he hit a soft spot and continued to dig.

"Is she alright? How about Sonya?"

T.K's ears twitched visibly.

"Are you still chasing Sonya?"

Davis hesitated. "I'm just wondering if they're alright...."

"I can feel it, Davis. I know what you're thinking about. I don't know. Every time I see Sonya, I get more and more worried. She's holding something back, but I can't read her. I know how you feel, and if by some freak chance you figure it out, please tell me." Davis felt a wave of depression flow from the blond. He suddenly begin to feel that he and T.k were in the same boat after all.

If only he could find the other two.

"So... uh... What's going to happen to the others?" he inquired, wondering about the fate of the other digidestined.

"I requested their temporary usage until I can find another use for them. They'll basically be doing maid work around the castle. I imagine they'll be cleaning the corpses around the fortress, too. They've been rotting the castle for days.

Davis was silent once more, relieved at their chance for life. he realized, however, that they would have to move very quickly if they wanted to get out alive. A plan would have to be devised on his part. And he would have to transmit it somehow without being caught.

The question was, How?

---

"Ugh, I hate house work!" Cried Yolie as they scrubbed the stone walls. Mold and vegetation had taken root in the stone and began to grow out of control. Yolie, Cody and Ken attempted to tear away at the plants only to find they had plans of their own. Several flowers chomped at and attacked the digidestined hands as they worked until they bled.

"We're just scrubbing blood on the walls, why can't we get fresh water?" Ken muttered.

"I don't know, but we better find some quite before I get some weird disease." Yolie said and sneezed.

"It sounds like you caught one already." Said Cody, blinking.

"Let' at least be grateful we're scrubbing floors and walls instead of being killed. This is nothing like I thought would happen...." Ken murmured.

"I know. It's like Shadow's mocking us." said Cody.

"Or Toying with us... We need to find Davis and our information so we can get out of here." Ken said and ceased to pay attention to the walls. The room was now cleaned, but just as they gathered themselves to leave, Yolie heard a light, airy sound. She turned and dropped her bucket. "Ken, Cody!" she exclaimed.

The boys looked and saw the room rehabilitated by the carnivorous plants.

"Ah, man!" Yolie shouted and kicked her bucket.

"What are these things?" Cody wondered aloud. As he examined one of the living plants, the petals sprouted open and out flew a small creature. It was human like with wings of a butterfly. It's furry body flew around Cody's head and landed on his shoulder.

"Hello!" It greeted. The digidestined were perplexed, but but said nothing.

"Thanks a lot for cleaning out the grit, the flowers were having a hard time growing on it." the things said.

"Uh... no problem." Ken said.

There was a short silence, soon broken once more by Ken's curiosity.

"Uh... What are you? A faerie?"

"No, silly. I'm a Forest Pixie. I know, I looked a lot like a faerie, but they're too girly. I'm a fighter!" The little creature thrust it's fist in a mock punch.

"I see...." Ken said.

"How cute." Cooed Yolie with a smile.

"Don't call me cute! I'm a warrior, not a teddy bear!"

"I'm sorry, What do you want me to call you?"

"Starlynn! I live in this castle with my fellow Forest Pixies. Do you wanna meet them?" The teens didn't have a chance to answer before the the little creature called out to her fellows. The flowers bloomed suddenly and thousands of similar characters flew from the vegetation of the room. They circled the digidestined over and over, calling down their greetings and laughter. The room was swarmed with color and the sound of soft fluttering wings.

"We have a big family." The little creature went on. "Thousands of us. Even more on the outside!"

"Why are you here?" Asked Cody.

"We are a part of his army. he recruited us fight with him and to ward off evil."

"Ward off evil, are you sure you're on the right side?" Yolie inquired. "If you don't think Shadow's the bad guy, then who is?"

"Why, the digidestined, of course! Shadow says they are a bad group of people who traveled through the forest of our neighbors and burned it to the ground! It makes me sick to think of something so vial! Don't you think?" another pixie answered with vigor.

There was a shocked silence.

"Of course, little one. But, how do you know Shadow hasn't been lying to you? How do you know everything he says is true?" Ken asked.

"He shelters us and feeds us and gives us a purpose to be here! We have nothing but absolute trust in his words!" Another Pixie said with confidence. The room erupted with cheers.

"Quick! The dog is coming!" Came a shrill voice and the Pixies all began to fly back to the shelter of their flowers. The petals closed rapidly and the colors were gone.

Behind the door, the three teens could hear the padding of footsetps and claws. The sound of the Dog's breathing was heavy and loud, sending a chill down the digidestineds' spines.

The door was pushed open to reveal, not a dog, but T.K. He carried a large bag over his shoulders, which appeared to carry great weight and labored his breathing. He wore no shoes, but simply his jeans and an unbuttoned over shirt. His slightly covered eyes swept the room through his golden hair. He seemed tired and frustrated.

T.k spotted the digidestined in the center of the room, watching him wearily. Davis came behind with another large bag over his shoulders.

"Guys! What're you doing?" He asked.

"I'd ask you the same thing, what's in the bag?" asked Ken.

"I don't know, T.K's having us take something to the furnace." Davis answered.

"Why are you in here?" T.K asked suddenly.

"Uh, we were cleaning the walls, grit and dirt was everywhere." said Yolie.

"Well, you're finished. You can leave." T.K said. A second look around, and he muttered, "Rref tuk namdle...." and left without another word.

"What's with him?" Asked Cody.

"Davis, come." T.K called to the brunette, making the boy flinch unnaturally at the voice. He left with a final glance.

"We should go." Said Cody.

"He wants us out of here, I wonder why? Its just a room full of pixies. I don't see an issue with it." Yolie grumbled as they left. Just before shutting the door, Starlynn fluttered to them and stopped before them.

"You are the digidestined, aren't you?" She asked. The slyness and masculinity had left the creature's voice, leaving her quiet and jumpy.

The digidestined were taken aback, but did not answer.

"I know you are. Don't worry, I won't tell. I need you help. I don't believe Shadow's words that the forests are destroyed... But I'm very worried none-the-less." The little creature looked around fearfully and continued.

"I want to leave this place and be with my brethren in the forests. But I can't, Shadow has the others nailed to his palm. Please, I'm willing to help you if you're willing to help me out."

The digidestined looked at eahc other, then back at the pixie.

"Starlynn, can you leave the castle at all?" Asked Yolie.

"No, the rooms we have any access to have no windows or anything!"

"Alright, we'll see what we can do. If we find a way out for you, we'll tak you and let you go. But you have to help us in return." said Ken in a hushed tone.

"Of course." The pixie replied, equally hushed.

"You have to check in on the Orenda village in the Forest east of here. There will be an army accumulating to take down the castle. Find them and tell them the situation here, and, if you can, report back to us?" Ken requested. The Pixie nodded her head and saluted them.

"Thank you, digidestined." and she flew back into the room.

"Can we trust her?" Asked Cody.

"We'll have to. Right now, she's the only hope we've got...." Ken answered, feeling equally dim and tired.

---

"And so now you expect us to help you?" Asked the critical voice of Page as she listened to the Digidestined's story.

"Yes, we do actually. We found Shadow's hide-out and we need to save our friends, who by the way are now trapped inside." Matt said urgently.

"If you'd have waited, we wouldn't be in this situation." Page snapped.

"Page, hold on. The kids that are in there are the ones who will fulfill the prophecy." said Gennai. "We have to save them, if you want your tribe to survive."

The digidestined looked at the fuming woman, who soon scoffed and tossed her hair.

"I won't allow my soldiers to go near that death trap." She said and turned to leave.

"But... The others!" Tai shouted.

"It's too late for them." Page called angrily over her shoulder.

Gennai, after a silent moment, turned to follow the angry woman.

"Now what do we do?" Izzy inquired to himself.

"Those low down jerks!"Mimi shouted angrily. "Our friends are in there, we need to get them out!"

"Calm down Mimi, we'll find a way." Sora consoled.

"How?" Asked Tai with frustration. "These guys were our only hope. Every other army out there is with Shadow or refuse to fight at all!"

"Are we sure about that?" Jyou wondered aloud. Everyone looked at him and noticed he was very deep in thought. "I think I have an Idea, but we have to plan it out real carefully, or else we'll be killed."

"What do you have in mind?" Asked Matt.

"The Cavern in the Canyon...That T.K led us too. remember?" Jyou asked Mimi. She nodded her had with a suspitious look in her face. She suddenly realized where he was taking the idea and gasped.

"Jyou, No! They'll kill us! They wanted to tear us apart the last time!"

"No, Only Gatomon, because she's a cat. We need to prove to the Wolves that we are trustworthy. That means not taking weapons, or even the digimon, with us. We need to stay completely calm and give them the situation. When we tell them that T.K is involved, I'm sure they'll fight in our favor." Jyou suggested.

"But, Jyou. What if this doesn't work?" asked Tai.

"It'll have too. It's the only option we have...." Izzy bedded in. Fear was evident in his features, but he held strong. the otehrs shook nervously, but , soon, they all agreed to face the Wolves.

"And the trees. Gabumon said something about asking the trees for their help...." said Matt. "Would they fight for us?"

"I think they might." said Jyou. "The forests are in danger, if what we heard at the castle is correct. We'll tell them the situation, and they;re bound to help!"

"Wolves and trees. This should be an interesting Army." Sora mentioned with humor.

"We'll have to leave the Digimon here. They can hardly walk, let alone fight. They can rest with the Orenda and we'll retrieve them when their strength returns." Said Tai.

"Good idea. We'll need them for the final battle...." Matt agreed.

"Are we all settled then?" Sora asked.

They nodded their heads.

"Show us the way." Said Matt. Jyou nodded and they began the journey to the Wolves' cavern.

---

All attempts to hold back a scream were desperate and unsuccessful. Davis, petrified, dropped the bag of 'trash' he carried in utter and complete shock. The furnace room, a large dirty room with a gigantic furnace on one end and burned angrily, stank horrifically and burned the brunette's nostrils. Within the room were piles of, not trash, but bodies. Mounds of dead men, women, and children filled the room. The furnace, which had to have been as large as a pair of airplane engines, were filled with the smoking and burning bodies of the dead.

Davis realized that it wasn't trash he was carrying, but another unfortunate body. He looked at the small mound in the bag and opened it. It was a young girl, red hair and blood covering her naked body. Puncture wounds, sores, and scratches covered her torso and legs.

_'What could have happened?' _Davis thought with Horror._ 'How could it have come to this?'_

T.K's nonchalance to the aura of the room was frightening, and numbing. He didn't speak, and he didn't look at the piles. He simply threw the bag into the furnace, fueling the fire and causing it to lash out at the rest of the fuel that filled the room. Hungry, the fire burned for more flesh and blood. Davis could have sworn he saw Satan within the red flames of the Hellish fire...

Pointing....

Laughing....

* * *

So like I said... I'm going to Hell.... Do you know how easy it is to find Satanic rituals and prayers over the internet? I typed Satanic Prayers into Google and got OOGLES of Pages! Some real creepy stuff, once I was finished, I feared for my immorttal soul.... huh... I hope God has a sense of Humor....

By the way, please tell me whatcha think in a review. I may start with critics to help re-improve my writing skills if needed.

Please review.


	7. 5: Jupiter: The Hierophant

Dammit, I can't help but feel as though I'm Jumping again.... Tell me please if it's getting overly choppy again. I may need to fix it. I've had a very bad week which included another car accident, a mental break down, and physical illness. I'm all over the place....

Dammit....

Enjoy.

* * *

"_His perseverance was inspiring, I must admit, but how far would someone go to create a weapon of mass destruction. I never thought T.K would be the kind of person to pull himself through disease and suffering for something so dishonorable. I guess it must be the lack of reason… his craving for love was never fulfilled, and so he buried himself in his work like a casket of death…."_ **Cody – Odiaba Cemetary.**

**The Hierophant – This card represents mercy. Humility. Kindness. Goodness. Forgiveness. Leniency. Indulgence. Compassion. Inspiration. Alliance. A person whom one has recourse. Ritual. Conformity. Servitude. A religious or Spiritual person.**

**---**

Would Sonya's mind have been weaker, she would have let it slip away into madness, to spare it the agony of her tortures in the castle.

Such as the tortures Darcy put her through.

Screams filled the corridors and stony rooms, but reached no one's ears. Laughing came from the sick male as he slapped the girl in the face, shifting her head abruptly and hurting her neck.

No words were spoken, but the raspy screams and low muttering and the mindless prattle from Timmy in the corner of the room. When everything was finished, Darcy slapped Sonya once more, reddening her bruise further.

"What's the matter, baby? Did I hurt your pwetty wittle face?" He teased cruelly. Sonya didn't look at the boys, refusing to let her tears run from her eyes.

"That's what I thought. Come on Timmy! I'm hungry!" and the two men left, laughing and snickering as if they just pulled a cute prank. Once the door was shut, Sonya rushed to the end of the bed and vomited. She cried and held her wounds painfully, feeling sicker and sicker with everything thought of the previous events. Her body has been ravaged more than she could have counted. She tried to loosen the thoughts and numb her mind, but to no avail. Sonya grew sick once more and vomited again. She would feel the burn of her stomach acids on her throat and tongue for hours and would gain no more sleep than any other night.

Simply another night in the castle….

---

T.K woke abruptly from the nightmare. Sweat dripped down his face, his heart raced like a rabbit for its life. He tried not to comprehend what he envisioned, but couldn't stop thinking about it.

He witnessed his sister's rape, and Darcy. But it was only a dream, it had no meaning. Because he was nervous, tired, and a little malnourished, he was seeing radical extremes in his subconscious.

But he couldn't shake the phantom pain in his face where Sonya was struck. And it disturbed him.

Greatly.

"Dude, that's the fifth time you fell asleep already." Said Davis behind him. "Why don't you go to bed?"

T.K stood from the desk he sat at and walked away wearily.

"Can't… I have to have this serum finished before tomorrow. The Mountaineer's blood is having a chemical effect on my Soldiers. I should be able to create a vaccination for them for war." The blond explained with a cough.

"You haven't slept for days, and when you do finally pass out, you wake in a cold sweat two minutes later!" Davis noticed the blond wasn't paying attention and sighed. "You haven't eaten in days, you haven't slept right, and you're always surrounding yourself with dead and dying men and women. How healthy is that?"

T.K simply scratched his ear and filled a syringe with the serum to test on yet another subject.

"You're getting sick too…." Davis added solemnly.

T.K stopped and looked at the brunette exhaustively.

"I know, Davis. But I can't stop for that. Or for health, or for silly dreams…." He said and turned to finish the experiment.

There was an uncomfortable pang in his thinning belly as he finished his sentence, for he knew it wasn't silly. As surreal as the dream was, he couldn't help but feel it was more real than he thought. He put the syringe down in thought.

"Davis, When was the last time you saw Sonya?" he asked over his shoulder.

Davis was slightly taken aback.

"Uh… I saw her in the window when we came in…. That was about a week and a half ago. Why?"

"We're seeing her again." T.K left the equipment and suddenly strode out the room. Davis followed the blonde's wide steps in vain, wondering greatly what the issue was about. He said nothing, however, and was glad he was going to see Sonya once again. He was nervous though, for he sensed T.K's fear and he began to follow the fast pace easier now. They reached many flights of steps to the tower sections of the castle. As they rounded a corner for Sonya's room, Ven stepped out and stopped them.

"Hey blonde, Shadow needs to speak with you." He said.

"Yeah, well he can wait." Said T.K as he tried to push pass the bulky man. He was held back once again and brought before the red-head again.

"He needs to speak with you now." He said, a darker tone inhabiting his voice.

T.K's glaring eyes didn't leave Ven's as he instructed Davis to check on his sister.

"He can't."

"He can."

"He isn't permitted near any of the digidestined, including the blond."

"I say he is, because he's performing a special chore as requested by me, his current owner. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see what this is about. Davis, don't fuck up." T.K warned and turned to leave with Ven on his heals.

Davis turned and found the oak doors leading to the girl's room. He swallowed nervously and knocked. The sound echoed eerily down the stone passage.

"Go away" Cried a voice from inside. Davis recognized it as Sonya's an knocked again. There was no answer this time.

"Sonya, it's me… Davis." Said Davis, his voice horse from anticipation. After a moment with no response, he slowly opened the door. The room was warm, humid, and elegant. Plants grew along the walls and from the ceiling in pots and vases and from the very walls. A large green patterned rug covered the floor and on one side of the room stood a massive oak framed bed. A shivering heap lay under the covers and Davis walked over to it slowly.

He sat beside the shaking frame quietly.

"Please, just go away. Don't come back." She whispered painfully.

"But Sonya, it's me, Davis. I'm not going to hurt you." Davis said gently. Sonya pulled the covered away from her face with recognition to Davis's voice. She looked up into his face and for a dreaded moment, Davis saw the pain in her eyes, the ravages on her body, and the wounds she was carrying. Still uncovered and shaking, Sonya threw her arms around the familiar man with relief. She cried into his shoulder, sobbing her thanks to him for not being the 'other men.'

Davis was perplexed. He held the sobbing girl in his arms and thought about the situation. She was naked and beaten, which led his mind to only one thing.

"Sonya… who hurt you? Who did this to you?" he asked gently.

There was a moment of silence and Sonya's shaking, then she looked up at hi sadly.

"I can't say." She said finally.

"Why? Did he threaten you? Sonya, I promise, T.K and I are going to do all we can to protect you and catch this guy. You don't have to be afraid…"

"I don't want him to hurt T.K… he will he talks about it, when he come here at night. It's so terrible, what man will do to each other…." She began to sob once more.

Suddenly, the tables had turned. Everything was on T.K's head, and Sonya was protecting him. Davis couldn't think of anything. He couldn't find a great clever solution out of the dilemma. Hell, He couldn't think of a way to calm Sonya's crying. He simply held the weeping blond in his arms, doing all he could to calm her down and make her feel safe again.

What a challenge would find that to be.

---

"Takeru, Your body is required for experimental operations. I need you to go to the fifth tower for preparations." Said Shadow heartily as he looked out to the wasteland before the castle.

T.K shook his head with the sudden information and raised a brow.

"Uh, What? What do you mean, experimental Operations?"

"Exactly what I mean." Shadow looked at the blond as if the operation was nothing special. "They'll simply be testing and altering your molecular DNA. You'll be back working on your disease by next week."

"Well, I'm not sure I'm very comfortable with letting guys in white coats poke and prod me if I don't really know what's going on...." T.K said.

"You'll have to be."

"I don't wanna be."

"You will be."

"Why?"

"You are a crucial part of an ongoing experiment. You're blood type and distorted genes will help our scientists advance further into their research."

"What is their research?" T.K inquired with a raised brow.

"Enhancement for duty and protection. You are a source in this project, so you will discontinue you questioning and head strait to the preparation center." Shadow said finally with a frown.

"Uh…right…." T.K walked out, curious as to why he was agreeing to the operations, but he made his way to the towers.

'_Why the fuck am I dong this? Grrr… Maybe this will help in the long run.' _He thought. His mind drifted to his sister and the state she must have been in. He wasn't sure whether or not to trust his dream, but he felt terrible and felt for the worse.

As he traversed the cold steps, he heard someone above him muttering incoherently. He looked up from the steps and found himself face to face with Kari. She looked down at him with equal surprise, her ruby eyes shining with the light through the window.

Neither of them spoke and for a moment, T.K forgot everything else.

He could hear his heart racing, or was it hers? The rabbit was off again in his chest and felt like he was going to pass out.

"Hi…." Was all he could manage after a moment.

"Hi...." she responded.

There was another short silence. Kari looked behind her up the stairs and back at him. They were both looking for a distraction, then T.K spoke again.

"Kari... are you alright?" was the first thing he asked.

"Yeah... I'm fine." the brunette fidgeted slightly. There was an aura of nervousness around her, though her face was completely neutral.

"What happened?" came T.K's sudden, gentle question. It took the girl by surprise and for a moment, seemed to ask for meaning.

"I'm not sure. I can't remember the battle... or much before it...." she said.

"Neither do I... do you remember anything before that?"

"I remember Tai... He and the others... I was attacked. I remember that.... I can't forget it."

"I remember us...." T.K said quietly.

There was another silence.

"Kari...."

"Get a move on boy!" came Ven's loud voice from the bottom of the stairs. T.K jumped and looked below, then back up at Kari to find she was gone. He was baffled and confused, but continued his climb to the upper portions of the castle.

As he approached the oak doors, T.K heard machinery and soft voices in the room beyond.

"Project Sebek is soon to be underway. Once the boy comes, we'll begin extracting his genes for practice alteration. Once a genetic match is found, we'll begin on the body."

"What of the girl?"

"Project Menhit is going smoothly, sir. Her genes are already in the process of alteration...." there was a slight pause.

"But...." came the second voice.

"Her mental capacity has increased by mass percent, sir. She can now work with seventy eight percent of her brain...."

"This is good news!"

"Sir, I'm nervous... her temper is short and red.... at a whim, she could destroy this facility or the castle itself. I think it's too dangerous to continue."

"Nonsense! We can contain her abilities within this facility and we will do everything we need to to see to it!" came another more eager voice.

"Then You shall...." came the second voice.

"Yes sir...."

"Now, what are we preparing for the boy?"

"We only need to isolate his human and animal genes and rearrange them. Once this is done, we can commence in the practice alterations." said the first voice.

"Such as...?"

"We've spliced Menhit's genes with those of several wild cats. No affect has taken place so far, but we're still waiting several days for a response. The boy's genes will be spliced with those of various canines. Practice methods will be tried first, so as not to harm the original, but we are expecting to further the research within a few days."

"Very good. Has anything happened with Menhit yet?"

"No sir. Her vision has increased, but nothing else so far."

"What are you expecting with Sebek?"

"We are hoping to enhance his senses, speed, and mental thought, along side with Menhit. He should gain the general abilities of whichever animal we cross him with."

"Very good. I understand that his genes are already altered...."

"Yes sir. He was infused with Nightwalker venom. It fused with his DNA and changed his genetic make-up, but only a little."

"Can we use this?"

"Yes sir. It should be a strong advantage."

"Very well.... You may continue." The door opened and an elderly man stepped out. His gray hair was short and unkempt, as was his beard. His lab clothes seemed old and unwashed, as if he'd been working in them for days. His glasses hung on the tip of his hooked nose tiredly, his eyes begging for rest.

"You must be the boy." He said in an accented voice. "Through this door, you'll meet my researchers. They will prepare you, then the testing will begin. You'll be sedated, so you won't feel a thing and it'll all be over before you know it." He informed with a warm smile. T.K's ear twitched at the old man's warmth, wondering how long it'd been since he'd felt that warmth. The only smile and warmth he received was from Sonya, it was almost as if there was none left in anyone else. The old man walked away, leaving the boy alone in the door. T.K looked into the large room finding it dark and filled with machinery. A large, liquid filled tube stood in the center, which T.K assumed it awaited him.

"Ah, Takeru. Welcome." said a female researcher.

"Before I do anything, would you mind telling me what you're going to do?" T.K asked before anything else was said. He didn't enter, in case he felt the need to leave, but the lady smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on in, young man. I'll explain everything to you."

---

Davis's attempts to calm Sonya down were successful. After a while of consoling her, Davis helped her dress and tried to talk, and get her to open up about the events. She wouldn't speak. He thought that using a distraction would get her to speak, so he searched the room 'casually' for something to please her with. He found a deck of cards with elaborate and colorful pictures on them.

"What are these?" He asked.

"Those are Tarot cards. Haven't you ever seen them?" Sonya asked with a small sniffle.

Davis shook his head. Sonya stood from the bed and picked up the cards. she gently shuffled them in her hands, each card slaiding past each other swiftly and easily.

"Do you know what they are?"

"I was always told they were used for evil...." Davis answered.

Sonya shook her head with a smile.

She wiped her still red eyes and began to explain.

"Tarot cards were made as playing cards back in ancient times. Gypsies used them to read fortunes and predict one's future. Each card represents a particular person, place, or thing and hold their own divinatory meaning. Such as the Death Card, which represents death and rebirth, or the Pope, which represents kindness and humility."

"Really? I never knew that." Davis sat beside the girl. He felt he was coming closer to regaining her trust. He ventured further into the subject.

"What does this card mean?" he asked, pointing out a card with a broken tower. Two men fell from the top of the tower as lighting struck it.

"This is the Tower." Sonya said, holding up the card. "It represents Downfall. The tower is a major person or event that will crumble before a new subject. It could be for better or worse, but it usually ends up very bad. The people falling from the tower are a representation of either the querent or the querent's enemies. It depends on the particular reading."

Davis felt Sonya become more confident and secure around him. He let her tell him more about the cards, seeing as they seemed to keep her calm. She explained each card and what they represented until her speech was stronger and warmer. After a few more cards, he went on to ask about her ordeal.

"Sonya, can you tell me what happened?" he asked once more.

Sonya stopped, not looking at him. She didn't answer. Davis knew he was on thin ice, but continued.

"I'm very worried. I don't want to to get hurt anymore. Neither does T.K."

Sonya whipped her head around.

"Does he know?" She asked frantically.

"No. He doesn't. But he needs to."

Sonya looked back to her cards and commenced in shuffling them again.

Davis held back a sigh.

"Please, Sonya.... Please tell me. I want to help you."

"You can't help me.": Sonya murmured with tears in her eyes.

"Yes I can." Davis said immediately, taking her hands. The cards dropped to the floor, fluttering into a scattered pile. There was a moment of slowness and silence as Davis held the girl close to him. Sonya trembled at the sudden touch but did nothing.

"Sonya... I can help you, but only if you tell me about what's been going on...." the brunette explained. "Does anyone else know?"

Sonya held her breath, then released.

"Yes... Kari." she whispered.

"Has she said anything?"

"I begged her not to."

"...Tell me... please?"

Sonya took a stuttering breath and told the tale. How she accepted the invitation to the castle, about the events of the battle, and how Darcy had contaminated her. Numerously.

_'Darcy, that bastard.' _Davis seethed. Thoughts of torture raced through his mind and how he could inflict as much pain as possible on the minion. The whole time, Sonya sifted through her cards nervously, looking up at the doors and windows often as if someone was watching her. She shuffled and split the cards as she spoke, then began to lay them out. Davis watched her as she told him her story. She first lay a card horizontally, then another over it vertically, making a cross. Then she proceeded to lay out the card vertically around the cross, then a vertical line of four more cards to the right. She seemed to not have taken notice to her own actions, for she looked down when she finished with raised eyebrows.

"What is it?" Davis asked.

"This reading...." she muttered. her eyes scanned over it. Davis saw swords, pentacles, and numerous major arcana cards, but it meant nothing to him. Sonya quickly picked up the cards and reassembled the deck.

"Can we talk about something else, please?" She murmured nervously.

"Actually, why don't we get you something to eat." Davis offered with a gentle smile. Sonya nodded, returning to warmth and Davis led the blond out of the room and down the long, dark corridors.

---

The liquid was dark and cold. The lights were turned off, cutting off any source of warmth that may been provided for the girl. Kari's hair flowed gently in the water as the pumps poured blood and chemicals into her body. she felt the radiation swirl in her veins and her heart race steadily. It was an exhilarating feeling.

And excruciatingly painful.

"How is Menhit doing?" asked an elder researcher. His pet name for Kari had rung sourly in her ears numerous times, deepening her grudge for him and the others.

"She is doing well, sir. Her genetics are cooperating well with the animals mixed with her. I believe we're ready for the final alterations." said the female researcher.

"Very well. Tell me when your preparations are complete. He turned to leave, but stopped. He looked at Kari once more and his face became angry.

"Why is she still awake?" He exclaimed.

"Her body doesn't respond to the sedatives, sir." said a male researcher. "She won't sleep."

"That's not excuse, up the dosage."

"We've raised it to its maximum sir. Any further and she could overdose and be killed."

The old man grumbled, but contained himself.

"Has it interrupted your research?"

"No sir." said the female.

"Then... it's not important. you may continue."

_'Fool....'_ came Karakin's voice in Kari's ears.

_'Why?'_

_'The old man knows you're a threat. but he does nothing.'_

_'Isn't that good?'_

_'It can be... we'll see. He may warn Shadow.'_

_'Then what do we do?'_

_'We wait. The fun is in waiting, the itch of pain of torture is worth it. Exhilarating, isn't it?'_

Kari simply looked ahead with heavily lidded eyes. She felt the sedatives wearing on her, but did not allow them to win. She kept herself awake through every painful moment, wondering how the outcome was worth the wait. Whatever the outcome may have been....

Her mind wandered to the stairwell, and her encounter with T.K. Her heart skipped a beat and a blush formed on her face. her feelings were returning for the boy, and she knew it. She felt it in the beating of her heart and the dizziness in her head. A small smile played on her lips, but was covered by the mask over her mouth and nose.

_'Stop thinking about him.'_ Karkain ordered angrily.

_'But Why?'_

_'You're feelings will get in your way and destroy you.'_

_'Why are you so protective?'_

_'Because I lost myself once, I'll not have you leave as well.'_ Karakin's soft, harsh voice echoed then faded.

Kari felt a cold sorrow in her heart and wondered if the feeling was hers or Karakin's.

The coldness spread through her body and soon discovered that her veins had blackened under her skin. The coldness crept through her like ice, chilling her body and frosting the water around her. The black chemical came form the tubes, the researchers had injected something into her, something completely foreign to her knowledge.

Her vision grew faint, then, in a sudden flash, a burst of colors erupted in her sight. Everything danced with unnatural color, as if a rainbow had slipped itself over the brunette's eyes like a veil. Emotions flowed through he like water over a waterfall. She was sad, and scared, and happy, and angry, all at once, all shifting from extremes. Her heart shifted with them as they rapidly passed through her.

There were a few feelings that lingered however.

Depression.

Fear.

_'Why? Why do I feel this?' _Kari asked herself with a heavy heart.

_'This isn't your heart, you feel....' _Karakin growled broodingly in her mind.

Something suddenly clicked in Kari's head.

Sonya.

Kari recollected what the young blond had told her.

A sudden wave of anger washed through her, and through Karakin. The colors around her shifted from the laboratory and formed itself into a kitchen area. The room was large, storage units lined the walls, all filled with fresh foods. On a table, Kari saw a colorful image of the mentioned maiden sitting, swinging her legs daintily. Another figure walked up to her with a tray of food and handed it to her.

"Sonya... I know it's real hard. I just wanna say, thank you for trusting me... enough to tell me what happened. I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to protect you." Kari recognized the sympathetic voice as that of Davis. The now stilled figure sitting on the table bowed her head, and seemed to smile.

"Thank you for listening...."

"I can never forgive him for what he did to you...."

"Davis, it's not good to carry such a strong hatred."

"But Sonya, that bastard disgraced you! Of course I'm going to be angry for you."

"I know... I just.... I suppose I don't have a hateful heart."

"You're too kind for it, Sonya." Davis took Sonya's hands.

"Don't you feel what I feel. Stay the way you are... It's weird and all but," he chuckled, "Don't become hateful."

"Of course...."

A white hot anger raced through Kari. Did she tell Davis but not her? Did she not trust her? Was there something wrong with her? The feeling left as soon as it came, leaving Kari confused and dizzy. She felt the anger in her heart, though.

And she knew it was Karakin's rage.

'What is this?' Kari wondered.

'One of several traits you will attain.' Karakin answered, referring to the scene before them. It disappeared once again and returned to the dull colors of the laboratory.

Kari wondered why Karakin was so angry by Sonya talking to Davis.

She thought, perhaps, she would never find out....

---

His blue eyes shone a hyper-active blue, unbound pain flowed through his strained body. Visions of torture and pain crossed through his head, but it wasn't the same he had seen.

It was Sonya.

He saw her raped over and over by a faceless man. At this point, T.K knew that his dream wasn't a fake.

Anger washed over his body as the icy cold engulfed his veins. The darkness injected into his blood blackened his heart, and his mind.

Further than it already was. Now, his thoughts were filled with pain and murderous rage.

He felt this deep within his heart.

He felt a lightness as well, Sonya's heart was light paced. Pained, hurt, and tormented, but unhating.

_'Strange,' _He thought, _'How innocent and forgiving this girl is, who shares my heart....' _He opened his eyes to the now cold and evil world around him.

_'When I myself have become a monster....'_

* * *

**QUICK GUESS WHO THIS CARD REPRESENTS!!!**

Alright, My bad. Tell me if you liked it! Now, please give me a bunch of reviews. If you read, it'd be awesomly appreciated.

The more reviews I get the happier I am, thew faster I review.

Let's just put it that way.... Maybe it'll make my day better....

lol Please review!


	8. 6: L'Amoureux: The Lovers

Tell me if this is too choppy. Actually, tell me if any of the future chapters are choppy, too. I wrote this in sort of a rush. We're on Spring break and I just came back from a four day trip in San Fransisco and am SICK. OF. CARS! I did my first multi-hour drive without stopping. It really wore me out.... But nothing really bad this time. yay! Things are looking up!

Anyway, please enjoy!

_

* * *

"I've never seen anything more beautiful until that moment I laid eyes on Sonya. I thought I was flying, soaring higher and higher every moment I was with her. When we weren't together, I was a cold stone on a lonely mountain. I wish I would have told her… told her sooner about my feelings. Before this…." _**Davis**** – The Dark Castle.**

**The Lovers - This card represents the necessity for testing or subjecting to trial. The struggle between sacred and profane love. Putting to the Proof. Examining. Speculating. Tempting. Yearning. Possible predicaments. Beauty. Perfection. Compatibility. Harmony. Unanimity. Beginning of a possible romance.**

**---  
**

The Hyenas' cackles sounded through the night, chilling the air and the light of the moon. Their red eyes gleamed in the cold light, their fur glistened with sweat and water. The journey across the lakes was completed. The villages were at their mercy. The Cats, though In complete distrust of the animals, trotted to the smiling creatures. The small white cat stood, his armor unbroken in the moonlight. His mismatched eyes glared at the hyenas, information barred within his irises.

"Lady Karakin has requested we give you information on the northern regions." The young cat said. His voice was still young with puberty, hardly an adult.

"Yes, We have been entrusted in their demolition. Please, enlighten us." Said one of the animals. The cat looked back at his fellow felines nervously, but returned his gaze with sudden confidence.

"The Orenda have a Settlement within the Eastern Forests. They dorm with the Satie." Said the small cat. His bushy white tail flicked to and fro and his ears twitched sharply.

"The Satie? They have their own Forest in the South. Why would they have migrated here?" a larger Hyena questioned.

"The Satie Forest has been taken by the Centaurs. Another battle has erupted there between the Horse-men and the Trolls."

"Those Dumb-ass lousy trolls are out and about now?" a dog crossed his arms. "They're docile, neutral. Why are they fighting?"

"There home is under attack, I'd imagine that's the reason." The white cat stated.

"Yeah, I heard about that…." Said another smaller Hyena. "I also heard the Giants have gathered the alliance of the Trees and plan to join the digidestined in their fight against Shadow."

"That can't be right, their leader is burnt to cinders!" another barked.

"What if he survived?"

"I doubt it, the whole gulch was taken down. The Fire even took out those lousy Plainsmen." Another Hyena jumped in.

"No, I heard that Dorian survived!"

"Survived? Nah, He was killed with the other creatures in that gulch."

"But, Weren't there other Dogs living there?"

"They died for a noble cause."

"Well, a good majority of the Vampyres and Mountain Dwarfs were killed off, as well. heh, that's a good hit." a snub-nosed hyena laughed.

"What if there's another establishment? Maybe There were survivors… The War will break out before our eyes can shut! We can all die!"

"Shut up! Pull yourself together, Dog."

The cats watched the hyenas argue and talk, not realizing the information they were spilling to the felines' sharp ears.

The White cat's whiskers twitched as a smile formed over his face.

Lady Karakin would love this.

---

"This is... the world we... live in.... And these... are... the hands... we're... given... ...." T.K murmured gently to himself in his state of nostalgia. Under the masses of brilliant blue and surrounded by the golden shades of the fields, he sang gently and serenely. It was as if nothing was wrong.

"Up the dose. Ten more milligrams."

T.K's eyes opened abruptly in shock and pain as the black substance was injected into his cold body. He twitched and writhed, trying to pull the wires and pumps from his flesh.

"Sedate him, for God's sake."

"We just dosed him five minutes ago." said another researcher with awe.

"Well do it again!"

"Yes Sir." and the pains increased, then everything dimmed. T.K, still seething from falling into sleep before, simply closed his eyes, but fought to keep his consciousness.

_'I have to stay awake. I have to get out of here. I need to get to Sonya.' _he thought. He opened his eyes to a crack and peered out among the researchers from beneath his lashes. They busied away, paying no heed to the boy's existence. Men and women entered and left the room with clip boards, vials, jars, containers, liquids, and later on, a dog.

The animal looked as though it had been shot in the shoulder and T.K's heart bled for it. It lifted it's head slightly and dropped it with exhaustion. T.K had difficulty making out the breed from under his dark lashes, but finally decided it to be a German Shepard. It's large body lie motionless on a silver table beside T.K's container. His skin grew colder and his hair bristled with anger for the dog.

_'The poor animal....' _he thought.

"Step two of project Sebek is underway. initializing genetic crossing." T.K saw everything blur once again as a strange feeling overcame him.

Everything went black once more and no more was seen. He heard his heart beating in the cold darkness, he felt the blood pulse through his body, he could even smell the blood in his hands.

His heart raced faster and faster and he grew dizzier and dizzier.

It seemed as if the darkness was spinning. Though he could not see it, he could definitely feel it. It was a strange feeling of intoxication he was vaguely familiar with.

It was... nice....

_'You shouldn't give into it.' _came Tojima's voice in his ear._ 'You'll get addicted and eventually never wake.'_

_'What's happening?'_ T.K asked lightly.

_'You're DNA is being fused with the Dog's. They're doing a test sample now, just wait until they finally push it.'_

_'Why?'_

_'I honestly don't know. You're already altered enough. It's must be your lack of sense.'_ Tojima began to snicker, making T.K's brow furrow.

_'But in all seriousness, you're the second installment in this program and you're progressing the slowest. Just hope they don't decide to chuck you out.'_

_'Who's the first?'_

_'You're girlfriend.' _

_T.K's heart skipped a beat, which showed on the monitors and caused a fuss among the researchers._

_'Heh, stupid bastards....' Tojima chuckled before fading out._

_'We're all in danger....' T.K thought after a moment._

_'Sonya... Kari....'  
_

---

_"Genetic Rendering at Ninety Nine percent."_

Kari eyed the dark bruises on her arms and legs. Her wrists were black and blue from her struggles against the restraints in the lab. The Engineers, in a frenzy of frustration with her fighting, ignored the miscalculations of the serum being injected into her skin.

_"Warning. Genetic code over-intensified. Genetic rendering failed. Warning. Systems overload."_

_"What? No! The files haven't been saved, my documents will be ruined!" The female cried. She angrily ran to the computers and furiously typed away to save her documents._

_"I will not lose my research to this genetic freak!" she seethed._

_The brunette continued her furious struggle in the tank. She found the sliver of light in the edge of the tank. It shown brilliantly to her among everything else. She kicked and the tank shattered into pieces._

_"Almost finished...." the researcher bit her lip. the others had much difficulty restraining the girls she twisted and tore at the wires in her skin._

_"Ah Ha! GOT IT!" the female cried happily._

_"Systems reload. Genetic rendering complete."_

_"Yes! Release her!" the woman ordered. The group released the tiring brunette as she tore the remainder of the wires and needles from her body. She lay panting on the floor, tired and in pain. The colors of the room were vibrant and swirling. Everything had a golden glowing edge._

_The woman came up, the gold made her appear like an angel with an angry face._

_"You almost ruined my research." She seethed._

_"Put her in quarantine. We need to watch her now. There was an over dosage in her injection."_

_"Yes ma'am." muttered the other researchers. They went to pick up the brunette, fearing another siege of violent struggle, only to find her limp and unconscious in their arms._

_"Come along, then...."_

The echoes of the engineers' voices rang in her mind. She looked up from the barred cells she sat in. The rats crawled up the ropes of the walls and crept out the window into the gray light. Kari wished she were as free.

Karakin sat beside her, looking out to the dark skies as well and sighed.

"Nice work, darling. You got yourself locked up."

"Quarantined. They said I'll be let out if I'm nice."

"Yeah right."

"I'm breaking out."

"I wouldn't recommend it...."

"Trust me."

"Trust you?" Karakin raised a brow at the brunette who turned away with sudden remembrance.

"My dear, The one's you -"

"Trust are you worst enemy.... I know." Kari put her head in her hands. "How do I get out?"

Karakin sat back and crossed her arms.

"Let them watch you. Be 'good'. Don't talk, don't move, don't even blink. Don't even kill the fly on your shoulder."

"But... They're looking for strength and ferocity, Karakin.... How's this going to get me out?"

"No my dear, they're looking for loyalty." Karakin smiled, showing her white teeth. a spark lit in Kari's mind, and she understood what Karakin meant.

"You've already proven your ferocity. Now prove your patience and get close to your target. They've enhanced your abilities without realizing the extent. This is yours, sweetheart."

Kari looked out the gray window with a sigh. Karakin's grin faded a moment, then returned.

"Guess what? the creatures of the world are advancing their armies." She giggled. Kari looked at the woman and her euphoric smile. She could understand why Karakin was so ecstatic over the creatures, it was as if something had come over her.

"They plan to fight with the digidestined." Another giggle.

"I don't get it... why are you so happy? Isn't that NOT a good thing?" Kari inquired with a skeptical brow.

Karakin looked at the girl, her smile wide, her eyes brilliant gold.

"My Men are leading them."

Kari's brows rose with surprise. The army that would fight 'for the digidestined' was being led by their enemy, her ally. The digidestiend would be betrayed. Were they aware of this? Who was their leader? A smile played on the girls' lips, however, for a nostalgic pleasure reached their hearts.

How fun this would be....

Giggles of girlish glee drifted through the lone stony halls of the prison.

---

"Are you sure, Cody?" asked Yolie as they raced down the halls.

"I'm sure of it! I over heard the guards. T.K and Kari are in great danger!"

"But How? Why would they just submit themselves into a project like this?" Ken questioned.

"They wouldn't. They were recruited." Cody answered. "How could any being play with another's life so cold heartedly?"

"It's Shadow we're talking about, Cody. He doesn't exactly have a heart." Yolie responded with a huff as her lungs began tire.

"Cody, where did the guards say they were taken?" Ken asked.

"I don't know where Kari is, but T.K is in the upper towers in the lab."

"Let's hurry!"

They dodged through the corridors in their search for the towers. The stony passages led them nowhere, doors led them to brick walls, empty rooms, or a a deep pit. The windows were barred, the tapestries laughed at the teens, and the sculptures followed with heavy gazes.

"Guys!" came a voice from behind the group.

They spun around to see Davis and Sonya running to them. The brunette held Sonya's hand, as if afraid she would fall.

"Davis! Sonya! Are you okay?" asked Ken.

"As okay as we'll ever be." said Davis grimly.

"What happened?" asked Yolie.

"Later... What are you doing?" Sonya inquired.

"T.K and Kari. They're in danger. Shadow's been genetically altering them." Cody answered.

"How do you know?" Davis asked.

"I overheard the guards talking. They were carrying a body with them down to the dungeons, I couldn't see who it was, but I'm pretty sure it was either T.K or Kari."

"Yes, They've been submitted into the program...." said Sonya hesitantly.

"You know about it?" Yolie asked.

Sonya nodded. "T.K was requested into the program quite suddenly. He is a vital part of their research because of his already altered DNA."

"Where are they?" asked Davis.

"Uh... They should be up in the tower on the West Side."

"How do we get there?" Asked Ken.

"I'm...not really sure. This castle's so big, I don't have it's halls memorized."

Their shoulders sagged with frustration.

"Okay, Sonya... You seem to know quite a bit about this 'program....' Mind telling us?" Yolie asked with crossed arms.

"Well... The Dark Guards Program is a genetic experiment. Shadow is trying to Genetically structure T.K and Kari to a fine point. He's turning them into warriors."

"Why? Why T.K and Kari?" Cody inquired.

"...He's very, paranoid. He's afraid everything is after him. He chose T.K for his previously altered genes, and Kari for her broken mentality."

"What do you mean broken mentality?" asked Ken.

"She's distorted. That's what he was expecting." Sonya paused for a moment. "She's already killed... before all of this.... She killed her father."

"Wait, what are you talking about? Kari is a sweet soul, she'd never do something like that!" Yolie protested.

"Is she?" Sonya countered. Silence answered her question. "She is ill, and mentally deteriorating into madness... If she is not already there.... Shadow set her up like he did Karakin.... None of it was truly released until something set off the reaction. Some sort of trigger. It must have been terrible for Kari, to suddenly have another person's misery sudden crash on you. I believe it was Karakin's reaction as well. That's why she chose Kari...."

"But wait, what pains? Karakin is just a demon, right?" Yolie stated.

"Not at all. In fact, she herself was a digidestined of Light." Sonya answered.

There was a shocked silence.

"Didn't you know that?" Sonya asked.

They shook their heads.

"Yes, Many years ago. The same turn in events put her where Kari is right now. She is a twisted soul, but no means a demon.... She's simply in pain.

"I'm still having a hard time believing that Karakin and Kari are the same, that Kari is turning evil...." said Cody.

"Iniquity is based on perception...." said Sonya. Everyone looked at her again.

"Karakin may not think she's evil at all...."

"Then neither would Kari...." Davis finished with realization.

"How can we help her?" asked Ken.

"Honestly...." An echo of strained silence followed the blond's words.

"...I don't think we can...."

---

"We have to be real careful...." said Jyou quietly, nervously.

"Dude, are you sure about this?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, I mean, these are wolves we're talking about. They're not exactly very friendly." Tai added.

"It has to work." said Sora."If we want any chance of getting the others out, we have to have faith in this plan."

The group looked at each other, silently auctioning the others' lives.

"Who wants to go in first?" asked Matt.

No one answered.

Matt lowered his head, then nodded.

"I'll go in." he said quietly. Everyone looked at him, hearts pounding with the trill of the danger.

"Are you sure?" asked Jyou.

"If I don't come out, you'll know it didn't go over well...." Matt turned into the cavern without another word. The others stood and watched solemnly, praying in silence for his safety.

In the cavern, the flames were still. The grass at the bottom was cold and dry, a dead fire ring in the center. The black holes in the walls of the cavern climbed to a higher darkness over Matt's head. He heard the steady breath of the Wolves as they slept within the fortress. A stick snapped under the weight of his foot and everything stilled.

The sound of breathing was gone and light hum of demonic growls began to fill the air. Matt tried to keep himself steady and calm as a Nightwalker suddenly appeared before him, inches away from his ear.

He swallowed hard and looked up into the eyes of the sleepy, angry army.

Only Silence left the cavern doors.

Outside, everyone held their breath for fear that exhaling would cause their friend to be killed.

"I seriously think this isn't a good idea." breathed Mimi.

"It's our only shot...." said Tai. "We need them on our side if we're going to win." Anyone could tell his words were hollow, for his fear showed through his eyes.

"I wish Palmon were here." Mimi whispered again.

"She couldn't help us even if she were here, Mimi. All the digimon are so exhausted, they could hardly move." said Izzy.

"I know, I could just use her support. I'm shaking like an oak leaf." she began to stutter. Jyou took her hand and squeezed reassuringly.

"It'll be alright, Mimi. Trust me." he smiled gently. She calmed a little and nodded.

In the cave, Matt tried his very hardest not to flinch, move, or even breath.

"Who are you? Why do you smell like the General?" asked a wolf.

"My name is Matt, I'm T.K's brother."

The wolves took an unsure step back.

"Our Leader never spoke of a brother. Lies!" Growls and barks of anger filled the cavern.

Matt shook and swallowed hard.

"It's ture! T.K is my little brother. I'm here on his behalf."

"Why should we listen to you, human?" another, more ragged, wolf growled.

"Because he's telling the truth."

The wolves muttered and whispered amongst eachother nervously. The crowd parted before Matt and a large white wolf limped to him. Her fur was matted and her frail bones were visible. Her great golden eyes gazed calmly into Matt's blues.

"Welcome, Matt. I am Sheba."

Matt watched the old wolf silently.

"I know much about you. Your brother speaks highly of you. Now, what has my son done to bring you here?" Sheba asked.

"Your... son?"

Sheba shook her fur and waited patiently.

"Uh... T.K is in danger. He';s trapped in the castle along with our other friends." Matt informed.

"Now boy, you say trapped... It was a plan of ours to send him into the castle. To search for the Fire Relic."

"You sent T.K on this mission alone?"

"Of course not. I anticipated that the cats would try the same thing, and I knew it would be his lover. He is not alone, he is very much in company. Only in competition."

Matt didn't answer.

"But, your words do trouble me, none-the-less." Sheba turned to the army. "I had a dream that my son had lost himself within the stone walls of the castle. His mind is gone and grief has stricken him. We must assemble and remind him of his duty, and his heart."

She looked again at the blond.

"We shall help you. A battle with the cats is very risky with our size, however. We will certainly be destroyed."

"It doesn't have to be that way." said Matt excitedly. "We're going to the forests to ask for the trees' help, too. And anyone else who will help."

"The forest creatures? I'm not sure the cats would like that very much, they hold their supplies." said Sheba, a smirk showing on her face.

"Go forward, my boy. Ask the forest spirits for assistance, for you know you now have ours."

Matt couldn't believe it at first. His heart lept with joy and a smile played on his face.

"Thank you so much! I can't tell you how grateful we are. How can we contact you?"

"Take him with you." Sheba indicated to a little blue jay which flew to Matt's shoulder. "He will be your messenger."

"Thank you."

"Now go."

Matt turned on his heel and ran out the cave as fast as his legs would carry him. The others saw him run out and feared for his failure.

"What happened?" asked Tai.

"They'll help! They said they'd help us, Tai!" Matt informed with glee.

"Really?" Jyou asked, stunned.

"Alright! All we need now are the forest creatures!" Izzy cheered.

"Let's hurry." Tai said and the group quickly turned toward the forest.

The further on they went, however, the more troubled Matt became. Tai noticed this.

"Matt, what's wrong?"

"One of the wolves said she had a dream about T.K... That he lost his mind in the castle.... I'm just worried that... what if that's the case?"

"I wouldn't worry. T.K's a tough little dude, he can take care of himself."

"I know...." Nothing anyone would say would lift the cold weight on Matt's heart. He felt an iron clasp around his heart, holding it in it's cold grip.

He was afraid. He was terrified even, that his brother was gone. He couldn't think that way. But he couldn't help it.

For the dream Sheba spoke of was one of his own.

* * *

Again, please tell me if this is choppy. I feel it is... I can't help but think there's something missing.

Huh... Please review! Reviews make me happy, Happiness makes my write faster! ^^

lol just kidding, but it might.


	9. 7: Le Chariot: The Chariot

Hi Guys. I'm updating from my home in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping for STAR Testing. Yes, I love you that much.

There was a suggestion in one of last chapter's reviews for the further installments of the story and once I looked at it an Idea popped up. It was like lightning struck my brain! (That must have hurt....) So a plan will come from all of this, it seems meaningless now, but it's all one big build up! Tomorrow I magically have nothing for testing, so i will have more time to write another chapter. I'm not sure about getting it posted, if I work non stop, I candefinately do it, i just need detailed notes ahead of time.

Anyways, Please read, for that is why you are here. And please review, for that is the second purpose for your reading, besides general pleasure... I think....

_

* * *

"It was like World War II in Germany. People being thrown into furnaces, turned into buttons and soap, food and clothes, weapons…. Soldiers…. The things Kari did to those bodies, I don't want to know… It was enough she was able to make them walk, then she turned them into her servants of war. Like a God of War… she reanimated the poor, soulless dead to suffer another life." –** Ken, Shan Cen encampment.**_

**---**

**The Chariot: This card suggests trouble and adversity, possibly already overcome. Ordeal, Obstacle, Great Effort, Overwhelming odds. Ascendancy, Acclamation. Conquest. Victory. Triumph. Greatness. The determination to mix hard work with times of productive solitude.**

**---  
**

_"I have a trick for you to learn."__  
"What trick?"  
"Ever See Dawn of the Dead?"  
"Who hasn't?"  
"Same trick, only these creatures will have self control. You will hold that control."  
"Why would I need this?"  
"Tojima loves his family. His wolves are his family. How many have we killed?"  
"I dunno."  
"How many would he fight?"  
"None?"  
"He would, but with such pain it would drive him to suicide."  
"How?"  
"I'll show you. By the time you're released, you'll be able to summon the Adramelech to your command."  
"Are we at a point where we'd need this?"  
"Yes. The Wolves are gathering the Forest dwellers and that'll be bad for us. I have begun recruiting more soldiers form the closest separate world. You will be able to use your Magicks on them and bring them to your will."  
"What world?"  
"Your world. All of those who have mocked you, played with, messed with, strait up fucked with you, they're being punished right now."  
"Why? I wanted to do it, I wanted to be there."  
"Circumstances wouldn't allow that, but you'll have your chance soon, dear. I know where Shadow is hiding the Relic."  
"Really?"  
"Yes. We'll be out soon and ready to fight."  
"Can't wait...."_

_---  
_

"This is unproductive to our own cause, Gennai. We would be spending our remaining power on saving a group of children who ran into danger without a plan. It's illogical." Said Page sternly.

Gennai and the Tribe leaders sat around a great make-shift stone table in the forest. The vegetation tinted the grey light, fantasizing spring.

"But Page, he is right." Jahari disagreed. "These children are clearly written in the prophecy. They have the potential to end this battle."

"No! You're not listening. They will put us at risk. We were lucky to manage what we have. If not war, than disease will kill us all. The Black Will is spreading now and we can't even catch up. We have no means to fight, even if we were to help!" Page argued.

"Then use your diseased warriors to kill off those in the fortress." Said Titus. His posture was broken, but still barely holding its edge. He stood strait as he stared into the eyes of the other members.

"We can't risk killing any allies in the castle." Said Hyperion.

"You mean the children?" Page rubbed her brow with frustration.

"Not just the children, lass." A twinkle of light glistened in the old man's eyes.

Page's head shot up.

"No. We agreed we wouldn't use his help. He's a liar and a traitor and he can't be trusted." She urged with big eyes.

"He's our only hope to gather information from Shadow." Said Chloe lightly, hands folded on her lap.

Page glared at her irreverently and growled.

"Don't you dare, Chloe Agytha…."

"Page, you have to understand…." Gennai started. "These are not just mere children. They may act rash, foolish even, but they are the key to saving this world and others."

Page looked all around at the eyes of her companions.

"Why can't you all just-" she was cut off by a strange sound form the air. The leaders looked to the sky. Above the canopy, they saw black figures fly through the sky on after another. They grew thicker in number until the whole sky was black.

"Aerochadas. What are they doing here?" muttered Jahari.

"They're moving west. To the castle?" Chloe commented.

"No." Titus watched the birds and their pattern of flight. He followed their wings to the mountains nearby.

"To the Mountains…."

"What? Why? They're Cave Dwellers, why would they come to the high mountains?" Gennai wondered.

"That's where the Vampyres and Halflings and God knows what else are…." Chloe murmured. "Could they be starting their own army?"

"Don't say such things, Chloe." Said Page.

"No, she may be right, and if she is then we know who their fighting for. Karakin has sent for a cavalry, we're outmatched at this rate." Said Hyperion. "Page, we must find the digidestined and join their forces. They have great power and we will stand a chance with them on our side."

Page didn't answer.

"Page, the Avila, the Trolls, the Fire Pixies, the Abadon, they will be more harmful to us as we are than with the digidestined." Jahari insisted. "We need men, we need power."

The woman looked around at the group, feeling outmatched and trapped.

"How would we find them now, anyway? They've gone miles by now."

"We'll just have to start looking, then. Won't we?" said Hyperion.

"Page, you and Chloe better tell the Forest Spirits to gather. The digidestined will be off to look for them soon, if they're not there already."

Page sighed.

She had lost.

---

"Sonya, what's happening?" T.K asked his sister the instant he saw her. The labs released him for a brief four hour period before returning for more tests. T.K set out to find his sister, and the man who was hurting her.

"What do you mean?" The girl asked, shaky and nervous.

"Someone's been hurting you, you can't lie to me I know it. Who is it? What did he do to you?"

"T.K, please…." Sonya looked away.

"Sonya," T.K held Sonya's face to look at him. Her bright green eyes swelled with tears. "Who is it?"

Her lips quivered, and she opened her mouth to answer, but a shout interrupted her speech.

"T.K!"

"We were looking everywhere for you." Came the voices of the digidestined as they ran to him. T.K's rage grew in his chest, compressing his heart and quickening his tempter.

"What?" he growled, releasing his sister and angrily looking at the other teens. his eyes shown an unatural hyper-active blue.

"We have to get out of here, you and Kari are in danger." Said Ken.

"You think I don't know that?" T.K barked, surprising the others. He calmed slightly, but his teeth ground as he spoke. "I need to talk to Sonya alone, now if you don't mind…."

"That can wait, T.K!" Yolie shouted in frustration. "We need to get out now!"

"And how do you propose we do that? You already have an escape route planned? Then be my guest and fucking leave! I'm staying."

"What do you mean you're staying? Are you crazy?" Davis shouted.

"Maybe I am, but listen. If you seriously have a way to get out, get out now. The more you talk about the less time you have. Do you have a route?" T.K asked. They didn't answer and he ground his teeth further. "Then I suggest you stop before someone hears you and throws you in the dungeon. I'll have you know that if they do, then you're fair game for my research, and I won't hesitate to pull you out first."

The digidestined were shocked, but said nothing. They didn't tempt the blonde's anger any further and just a moment after, Ven and Shante rounded the corner.

"Why if it isn't the digidestined? Why are you not scrubbing floors?" Shante demanded.

The digidestined didn't respond, but simply glared at the pair.

"Oh, so cold. T.K tell your pets that if they don't get to work we'll have to tie their bones into whipping posts." Said the woman with a sneer. T.K looked around at the others.

"You heard the lady. Leave." The group didn't quite know what to do, since T.K had taken the woman's side. They turned hesitantly and left.

"Hey, little blonde, go with them. We wanna talk to T.K." said Ven. Sonya turned to leave. T.K stopped and whispered something into her ear. She nodded and ran.

"What was that?" Inquired Shante.

"Telling her to keep an eye on the others. What do you want?"

"I hear your tests aren't going so well." Said Shante cutely.

"I need to do some modifications on the serums, but after that there'll be some real results." T.K answered neutrally.

"I mean on you. They don't know if you'll work out and think you'll need to be disposed of. Better hope your genes start modifying themselves to keep you alive."

"Awesome. What's it to you?" T.K asked, feeling slightly disturbed.

"You see, there's this bet that Ven and I are doing. I say that you'll last, but he thinks you'll be dumped in the next week or so." Shante grinned and Ven crossed his arms.

"Great. Glad to be of such entertainment to you. Is that all?" T.K said sharply.

"Oh, and one last thing. If you're gonna save Sonya, better do it quick." Ven sneered. T.K's hair bristled on the back of his neck with anger. "You see, she can't say who it is, but I'm sure you can figure it out. You're a smart little kid." And with that, the two walked away.

"That was considerably meaningless…." T.K said out loud. _'But I need to figure this out, and fast.'_

He heard talking around the corner and listened carefully, his sensitive ears picking up on the voices.

"Are you sure? Why not just tell him who it is? It'll get done faster anyway." Came Ven's voice.

"We can't let anyone find out we said any names, or we'll be hanged. Let him figure it out, he'll get rid of those two for us. Then we don't have much else to worry about." Answered Shante's dying voice. They must have exited the halls, for their voices were then gone. T.K's heart beat aster and faster. He hurried through the halls to find his sister. Taking off in the direction the others went, troubling thoughts crossed his mind about Sonya. Was she hurt badly? Would she be? Who was doing this to her? He had to find out. And he swore he would kill the son of a bitch who touched his sister.

---

"T.K said to go to the Pixie's wing." Said Sonya after catching up with the others.

"Why?" Cody wondered.

"To see Starlynn. There are places in this castle which are not watched at certain times of the day. We can take her to a window and have her freed." Said Sonya.

"Great! Where can we go?" asked Davis.

"When we get Starlynn, we'll have to make sure the others don't know. She said they were all on Shadow's side." Said Ken lowly.

"Yeah, How will we sneak her out?" asked Yolie.

"I could say she's needed on assignment for Shadow. She needed to run an errand." Said Sonya.

"Good idea." Said Davis.

"We were going to have her report back to us about the Orenda and the Satie and the armies. At least then we'll know the situation and the odds of our escape." Said Ken. They rounded the corner leading to the Pixie's room and opened the door. The flowers were closed in sleeping, as were the little creatures within.

"Rrek Nah Ver. Rrek Nah Ver, Starlynn." Sonya called gently.

One of the flowers at the top of the room opened and the little creature glided out quietly.

"Come with us" said Davis quietly and they left the room.

"We found a way out for you." Said Ken. "Can you tell the Orenda about the castle?"

"Yes, Sir! Thank you so much, digidestined. I'll never forget this." Starlynn thanked with bows and kisses to the teens' faces. They darted through the shadows of the halls, following Sonya to their destination. the stony corridors became wooden and velvety with beautiful tapestries and colorful wallpapers. The flooring became wooden and the rich colors blended finely with the windows looking out to the growing vegetation of the outside world. Davis glanced briefly to the outside. the rotted bodies were overgrown with flowers adn grass, as the barren ground was becoming. It was a strange and serene setting.

"Okay, this is the only hall that's not under constant surveillance." said Sonya, looking to the corners of the room.

"Why is that?" asked Yolie.

"The halls are closed off and sealed. This is the East wing, where Shadow resides. He likes his privacy." the blond answered as she pushed open one of the large windows. The others froze, fear washing over them. Sonya took Starlynn in her hands.

"Be careful, Starlynn, there are Birds out there watching the skies for Shadow." she said. Starlynn nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll be careful!" The little pixie took off through the window, flying low so as to not be seen by any large birds. The digidestined watched her and the doors until the little creature was no longer seen.

"We need to hurry, before Shadow comes." said Sonya after a moment.

In unanimous agreement, the group rushed again through the corridors away from the danger of the beautifully decorated halls. Sonya saw a shadow move under the oak doors at the end of the hall as they left. Her heart beat faster and faster, knowing Shadow was awake and in their presence. The group rounded corners, darted through halls, and passed many great doors and windows. not until they arrived back in the cold stony halls did they feel a sense of safety.

"Thanks Sonya."said Ken. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"You better leave now." said Sonya in response. The others looked at her strangely. She looked them in the face, wondering about their hesitation.

"You are simple workers now. You have to be cleaning, or you'll be hanged. Davis needs to go back to T.K's study and finish his duties there. Quickly, before you're caught." The other agreed and left. Hesitation kept them from splitting, but eventually Sonya was left alone in the corridors.

"I take it you were able to get Starlynn out."

She swallowed hard as she felt a cold presence behind her. Turning, she aw her brother walk up beside her. T.K frowned into the darkness of the halls, then down at Sonya.

"Good, she'll be able to rally the wolves to fight." There was a strained silence between them, like the strings of a violin, Sonya could have played any melody with the chill of the stress. T.K spoke once more, dark, calm, ungodly.

"I need to know. I can make it stop, but only if you tell me to."

Another silence. Sonya feared this side of her brother, but felt warmly for his presence of heart. He cared, and he wanted her pain to stop. He could do it, too, if she asked it. Sonya looked at him, tears forming once more, then back at the dark stony passages. A shiver, a deep breath strangled with tears.

"Darcy...."

Just as soon as the word was said T.K vanished in a flash of wind. Sonya knew, then, screams would be heard throughout the halls of the Dark Castle from Shadow's precious Sons.

---

Feet tired, legs moved, hands gripped and worried, Rosaries dangled behind their backs and around their necks. The pains and sufferings arose in their villages and valleys of concrete and stone. Many were Baffled, some were hopeless, all were sullen. This feeling washed the world in a wave of darkness, pain and anger raising for nothing, from nothing. But it's not the digital world we speak of now.

But the Real World. Back in the digidestineds' home, The escaped animals grew, transformed and organized in a way the humans never expected. A few lions, a wolf here and there, a Puma in the park, but now the carnivorous quadrupeds walked in forms, units, strait lines and carried weapons and armor.

Granted, though, no one believed these extravagant tales. Cities were quarantined for outbreak of Swine Flu and Neglaria. Those who got out told all who would listen, but there were none.

Please! You must listen!

The animals have mutated, they're attacking the cities!

They killed my family. They killed everyone in the quarantined towns!

Genocide! It's like we told you! Please, you must listen!

All pleas fell on muted ears. Though rumors passed that the words being spoken were true, many just dismissed it as 'rumors.'

But they knew something was wrong. They would never have guessed. More and more cities befell quarantine and panic spread over the epidemic. Disease wiped out small towns, infected large cities, hunted and haunted the rest. Orders were given to seal the cities, even those uninfected. But they didn't know.

More concrete. More, More. We must build the walls, we must seal the roofs, we must contain this outbreak. Lift the glass, it's not that heavy. Your machine can take it. You want your children to die of Neglaria? You know what it'll do to 'em, don'cha? It'll make 'em blind and kill their brains! They'll die in excruciating pain and you'll have been the cause of it. Now lift that roofing onto those walls, we need to seal this thing in!

But it was too late. It always was. The workers were killed days after setting the walls and fortresses. Their families never knew what happened. Not until they, too, were infected. All over the world this pandemic effect took place, threatening the lives of any in the way. Fear struck the barely out of reach city of Odiaba. There the families of the digidestined grieved, feared, waited for the terrible news of their child's deaths. Their parents gathered in the park one grey afternoon. Rain threatened to plummet the unstable ground.

We have to do something.

What can we do? We've already called the police, there's no sign of them.

I called my son's cell phone a hundred times, he never leaves it ringing, he never goes anywhere without it.

My daughter hasn't been back in four months. What if she's in a ditch somewhere? Raped or murdered?

Everyone, we have to calm down.

We can't calm down. Don't you realize what's happened?

I understand everyone's pain....

How? You're child couldn't wait to throw you out Nancy. The fact that he did....

That's enough, please. Nancy is right, we need to think this through. It very plausible that our children were not abducted, or killed, or raped, or infected with anything.

Then what is it?

Yes, What?

The digital world. They had to have gone back.

No, I forbade Kari and Tai from going there, they would never disobey me.

They very well may have. They go when that world is in danger and when it is, ours is too. It may be the reason we're in such chaos.

I don't believe that.

Believe what you want, but you must have faith that our children are safe. Or else they may never return.

...

He's right.... I want my children to come home safely....

Me too....

And I....

What should we do?

I don't know....

---

A scream, a clatter of an empty bucket against the cold wet floor. The once gree and grey walls now stained with red. Flowers and Vines, now Cinders on the walls, ceiling and dust on the floor. Little skeletons and rotting corpses in the wilted flowers of the dead plants.

Yolie ran into Ken's arms, shivering from the sight and smell.

"The poor things." she whispered.

Cody stood beside the pair. The boys looked into the death room, wondering what unknown flame caused the creatures' demise.

A warm hand touched both boys' shoulders. Yolie's eyes met red ones. None of them could move as the smiling voice played on the woman's lips.

"Kari is staying here, you can't take her away. And neither can they." Karakin's voice echoes gently in the digidestined's ears, haunting, laughing.

"Oh, you're left without friends now, aren't you? I won't count on your little blond friends, and don't even come near my girl." The boys finally spun around to face the devilress, but found nothing.

Her haunting words rang in their heads, warm, laughing, mocking, scared.

* * *

Yays! Up quickly, this was pretty much crap I think. Don't worry, The point is coming up, it really is. I need to sleep, though, I have more Star Testing this week and need my sleep. Again,. light critiques welcomed, nothing too heavy for I am a cry baby, lol. tell me if you think something is missing or needs work on. I'll try to fix it in the next chapter.

Byes! Please review!


	10. 8: Le Justice: Justice

I shouldn't be feeling so down on myself right now, I know. So don't tell me about looking at the bright side. I can't look if there's none.

**PLEASE READ**

**I don't want to lose any readers, but I want to promote this author. Shinaria is a very good friend of mine and a very good writer. She doesn't have very many people looking at her stuff, which is a shame for she is an excellent writer. I would like you to check out her stories please. She writes about Star trek, Teen Titans, Star Wars, and Supernatural. If you like Supernatural, you'll fall for her stories. I know that once you read, you'll be immediately drawn to her, which is good, just don't forget about me please. **

Thanks. Enjoy.

* * *

_"Perhaps, when the arrow struck her heart, all the love she had leaked out? I don't know, I want to think it was case and not that She was already evil. I couldn't bear to think that all this time, Kari was a whole other person from who we thought.... The light she saw, when we were younger, the light that possesed her, we thought it was only with her for that short time. I never thouhgt it was here the whole time, covering Kari's ture Persona.... It's so frightening... even the Devil would cringe." **Sora - Orenda Settlement, White Forest.**_

**_---_**

**Justice: This card means justice. Fairness. Reasonableness. Moderation. Neutrality. Balance. Sensibility. Poise. Righteousness. Virtue. Integrity. Goodness. Honor. Virginity. Self-satisfaction in accomplishments.**

---

Sydney, Berlin, Los Angeles, New York, London. Now walled. Isolated. Passerby's who saw the fortresses wondered what lay within, wondered the fates of those sealed within. There was no sound, no light, no movement. Cities of the Dead, they were called. They gathered spectacle. People came around to see magnificent walls that surrounded the once great cities. Seattle, New Orleans, Moscow, now Beijing. What happened? Illness couldn't spread like this…. Not in this age….

Anything could happen now.

We've messed around too much with science. These are the repercussions.

What repercussions?

Super diseases…. There is no immunity.

Well I think it's the government. They're looking for excuses to take down the other countries.

Even destroying their own cities in their own country? No, it's disease.

I agree. Russia is finally making its move against America.

You idiot, it's not Russia.

Canada?

Dammit it's not Canada! This is a simple issue of natural selection. Disease has mutated to the point that it's gong around and taking down mass numbers of populations around the world. It's as simple as that! There's no way around it.

I don't think it's either….

Then what could it be? Aliens?

Maybe.

No, it's another world.

Why the hell would you say that?

I found it in this old text at the library in Yorkshire several years ago, on that Europe trip I took. Remember? It said something about three chosen people for darkness. It was real confusing, but I do remember an extension to it that mentioned Wild animals running the world and cities being barred by death.

Barred by death?

Yeah, it's not disease, don't you see? It's a prophecy from another world. It's being destroyed, and ours is too.

Don't be an idiot.

Maybe you're right…. Maybe it's just an old Story.

What was it called?

….

….

There goes Anchorage. Now Vancouver, and Austin, and Chicago. San Francisco is next I bet. Or maybe Paris. Paris was already walled? When? I never heard about it. You're making it up. What else? I didn't hear any others either….

What's happening?

I'm Scared….

---

Sora looked up from her spot in the grassy meadow. The group rested, unsure of who to talk to, how to communicate with the wilderness. They watched the trees dance lightly in the warm breeze. Was it still Winter? Was Spring here? They could never tell. They didn't even know how long they were gone for. Time sped differently in the Digital world than In the Real world. Maybe it had still only been a few minutes in their time? Or maybe, with the lapses in the Digital world, the real world felt the same effects? Maybe time went the same? Sora could feel her head reeling with the questions, thoughts, possibilities.

"Sora, are you okay?" asked Matt.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The red head answered with a stretch of her pale arms.

"You look tired. Why don't you rest?"

"I'll be alright. Thank you Matt."

Jyou and Izzy entered the meadow from the dense woods, hair slightly out of place and out of breath.

"We can't find any way out. No matter where we turn, we keep getting led back here. Even walking strait." Said Izzy, picking leaves and twigs from his hair.

"Are the trees playing with us?" Tai moaned.

"They must be." Matt answered, looking up wearily at the tall figures. They stood dark against the grey sky, staring ominously at the group below.

"I honestly don't know what to do next, guys. I can't find the path anywhere." Jyou added.

"You must not be looking in the right place." Came a deep voice. "There are many paths in this forest."

The owner of the voice stepped slowly from the trees, only to be found the owner **was** a tree. A tangle-rooted Giant walked gracefully to them, his large steps sending soft echoes through the forest.

"Digidestined. It's a pleasure. My name is Rratcklyn. I am the dweller of this forest."

The digidestined blinked, alarmed at the size of the creature and the light ferocity in his eyes.

"What brings you to my home?"

"We need help." Tai spoke up. Taking his place before the group, he locked eyes with the giant. "Our friends are trapped in the Dark Castle with Shadow.

"You look for the Forest's assistance?"

"Yes. There's a War going on… and we got caught in the middle of it."

Rratcklyn knelt before Tai. He towered over the brunette, even as he lowered, but the man stood firmly, determined.

"I am aware of the War. Our forests have been destroyed to clear for Shadow's advance. You know, much of the Forest Spirits are sided with him."

Fear spread over the group, but they held their gazes. The thought that this giant, who could very easily crush them, was informing them of the Creatures' alliance sent their hearts to panic.

"You have no chance against Shadow, even with the help of the Wood…. What do you hope to accomplish?"

"We do have a chance." Said Sora firmly. She stood beside Tai. The gesture gave the leader strength, and strength to the others, to stand before the Giant unafraid. Rratcklyn watched the digidestined before him, standing strait in a line of confidence and determination. Their gazes were heavy on his massive body, making the Creature smile.

"You are strong, my friends. You need not fear me, for I have heard of your greatness. I admire your abilities, Digidestined." The adults' faces loosened and smiled.

"That's good to hear." Said Mimi. "For a minute there, I thought you were going to say you were on Shadow's side."

"That would be unfortunate for you. Now tell me, Why do you believe you have a chance against Shadow's Army?"

"The Nightwalkers agreed to fight with us. They hate Shadow as much as we do, they're willing to fight." Said Matt.

"The Nightwalkers? My, that would upset the Blood harvesters greatly. There are homes and resource suppliers in these woods under the harvesters…. That must a plan of Sheba's." a chuckle escaped Rratcklyn's throat. "The cunning little wolf…."

"Will you help?" asked Tai. The Creature stood tall once more. He looked around to the trees as they danced in the growing wind. He whistled lightly and the wind suddenly halted. Everything became eerily still, a light whisper began to rush through the woods.

"The trees speak. They argue over right and wrong. Those for Shadow remain silent, and there are many. You are in Danger, Digidestined. You must leave before news travels back."

"Wait!" a scream faintly rolled over the whispers of the trees. Another Shout, a little flying figure rushed over the tops of the trees. The furry, human-like creature flew onto Rratcklyn's Shoulder. She panted heavily, deep intervals of breath intake and gratefulness for the rest.

"I've... found you! Thank… goodness!" the little creature managed.

"What is it, little one?" asked the Giant.

Once composed, the little pixie stood and looked at the giant creature.

"I have flown a distance from Shadow's Castle. I was able to escape with the help of the digidestined, who are trapped within." the Pixie reported.

"You met the others? Are they alright?" questioned. Tai.

"They are well, for now. They are servants in the castle. They are trying to rescue T.K and Sonya and Kari, but their plans have failed. They are too far away now."

"What do you mean?" asked Rratcklyn.

"I've seen and spoken with Sonya and the Boy. They are unwell. The boys mind has gone and Sonya fears for him, of him."

"T.K? You're saying he's lost his mind?" Matt asked, fear and doubt growing inside him. The dreams he had, the words of the old Wolf, Were they true?

"I'm afraid so, sir." said the little creature with a hint of despair.

"Little Starlynn, Tell us what has happened." said Rratcklyn gently.

"The boy and a dark haired girl.... They have been issued into this terrible Program, the Dark Guards Program. It was designed for the protection of Shadow. He chose these two as his body guards and is Genetically altering them to his pleasure. They are no longer who they once were. Their minds have shifted, their hearts withered, their souls turned black. As if a fire had burned their humanity.... The Boy creates Weapons for Shadow, weapons of destruction I have never seen before. The bodies he's tested, the terrible condition of those poor souls. They are killed in the most horrific way. So slow, I can hear them scream from my bed at night. It never ends, even when the boy is not present." The little creature stopped to hold back tears. The Digidestined listened in Awe and terror. Their T.K did this to people? It couldn't be....

Starlynn took a deep breath and continued. "The girl...." she shuddered, causing her fur to shake.

"The girl is of a terrible sort. She seeks out the burnt and condemned bodies of those killed by the boy and uses them to her will. A new technique... A Satanic magick... She can bring the dead to life, or, almost life. They can breath, walk, fight, but I'm not sure if they're truly living.... She has commanded them from the dark, as her death soldiers. If she can do this, who knows how far her powers can go. How far she could go."

_'Kari...?'_ Tai thought numbly, desperately wishing to wake up from his nightmare. His sister, raising the dead with Satanic magicks? He couldn't bring himself to comprehend the information. His body grew number, his legs shook, his mind went blank, all sound and color drained away. He fell, hardly catching himself and landing on his knees. He sat, shoulders quivering and breath rattling.

"Tai, are you alright?" asked Mimi, kneeling beside him. Tai didn't answer. He merely looked up to the Pixie on the Giant's shoulder with despair in his eyes.

"It is true, sir." said the Pixie, making the emotional connection and answering his unasked question.

"How do you know all this, little one?" asked Rratcklyn.

"The Boy told me. He told me of the experiments he performed on the bodies of the prisoners. He told me of what he does with the survivors and the unlucky, why he created the diseases, why he tested them, what he will do with them. He told me of his own illness and heartache. He told me of his anger for Sonya and the one who hurts her so."

This caught the digidestined's ears. The urgency had suddenly risen, for suffering had befallen their friends. It was only a matter of who and what was hurting them? How could they save them?

"They have asked me to inform you and the wolves of the situation in the palace and to gather forces against it. Do you have strength?" inquired Starlynn.

"Yes." said the Giant. The adults looked at Rratcklyn, pleased and startled by his acceptance to the challenge. "I know who will fight, and the digidestined here have gathered the alliance of Sheba's tribe."

"Great! We need to find the Satie and the Orenda now!" said the Pixie with a grin.

"They won't help." said Sora bitterly.

"Then they're our enemy." said the Giant in a dark tone. "We must assemble now. Starlynn, tell the prisoners the Forest and the Wolves are forming in their favor."

"Yes Sir!" Starlynn saluted excitedly and flew off once more.

"I will seek the Forest Spirits and bring them to the Fortress. We will be ready to fight in days time. Meet us on the Wooden outskirts before the the Castle. We will then devise a plan of attack and enter."

"Thank you, Ratcklyn. I can't tell you how awesome this is." said Tai with a broken grin on his face. The giant nodded and left, causing the trees to part and return in his wake.

Sora watched after the Gaints steps, listening, dreading.

This was all wrong....

---

The engineers walked around the brunette, observing her body, eyes, teeth, posture, and color. Kari's hair grew still longer, her eyes sharper, her features stronger. Her posture was erect and regal, her feminine frame defined by masculinity, her skin a vibrant and healthy tanned color. Kari's red eyes swept over the room, head unmoving, mind processing her surroundings. A butterfly landed on her shoulder, making it twitch.

_'Be still, be silent, be good....'_ she thought consistently. head still unmoving, she regarded the butterfly with slight fascination. The beautiful fiery colors of the wings danced and whirled as they twitched and shifted. The little creature settled itself on her shoulder, not ready to move. Kari wondered to herself: Where did the creature come from? How did it come into the castle? Into the room?

The engineers disregarded the little insect and buried themselves deeper into their research.

"Her preservation is inspiring." said a man.

"Her brain scans are healthy, processing ability is up to 92 percent."

"Incredible."

"Physical composure is stable. Mental composure is stable. I think we're making good progress."

"Better than the boy. he is making no movement at all...."

Kari's ear twitched at the mention of the boy.

"If this continues, we'll just have to toss him. He's no use if he's steril to the procedures."

"We must wait until Shadow is finished with his work, though. Once we're sure that the Boy's research is complete and successful, then he can be disposed of...."

_'Strange....'_ Kari thought to herself as she listened. her eyes shifted to the butterfly on her shoulder once more. _'What is this feeling? Why's my heart in so much pain?' _The butterfly's wings shifted again and her heart flipped again. Each movement the creature made moved her heart and caused her head to reel.

_'You'll be free....'_ came Karakin's voice in her head. The creature fluttered to Kari's hair and perched itself on the strands on her cheek. The little legs tickled her skin, causing the muscles to twitch.

_'You can use the Boy's misfortune to your advantage. He must complete his research. use it for your purposes.'_

_'How?'_

_'He is engineering a form of bio-weaponry. Get close to him, steal his research, destroy this castle. All once you've taken the Pendant beck from Shadow. The disease will wipe out everyone in the castle, the region if you wished it. Work together wit hthe boy to find an escape. You can leave after your mission is accomplished.'_

_'What about T.K?'_

_'Burn him.'_

_---_

T.K felt weak, weary, but he drove himself forward with ferocity. His muscles weakened and tightened, his eyes scanned everything with hyperactive intensity. His anger coursed through his viens as a river in a washing rainstorm.

He wanted Darcy. All he could think of as he searched the castle was how to kill him slowly, how to torture him, how to strip him of his soul and preservation. He wanted to hear the man scream in pain and terror.

He wanted Sonya to watch, to listen. To be proud of her brother and his protection of her.

T.K stopped and thought a moment. He could here his heart pump in his ears and red lined his vision. His senses heightened with the rage he felt. Spinning on his heel, he stormed in the direction of Shadow's Chambers. Guards steppe before him, demanding his identity and ordering his return to the lower levels of the castle. T.k merely pushed them out of his way and forced a path to the Chamber. Soldiers pulled swords and pikes on the blond, but he was too fast. He registered the weapons, but not their defeat. Everything blurred for a moment and the soldiers were on the ground. He didn't think, however, simply stormed down the halls. He came upon the great oak doors of Shadow's room and slammed his hardened fist against it.

"Shadow! You son of a bitch, get out here!" he demanded angrily. Red washed further into his sight. Blood colored everything before him, he didn't care to think of the building aggression within him. He lifted his leg and judo kicked the door several times.

"You bastard! I know you're in there!" he went to kick once more when the door creaked open. The inside of the room was dark and vibrant with reds and royal greens and blues. The walls wee golden and Victorian styled, the bed, massive and cherry oak built. Royal lacing and trimming lined the walls and decorative furniture. T.K pushed his way through the heavy door and found Shadow at a table with a steaming pot of tea. he sat comfortably looking out the window to the grey decay.

"Shadow, I have a bone to pick with you." the blond growled menacingly.

"I know. I heard you at the door." said the man with a smirk and sipping a cup of tea.

T.K was suddenly standing before the dark man, looking down at him with furrowed brows. "I'm not joking with you. I know you knew about this, too."

"My boy, I have no idea what you're talking about." Shadow mocked.

"Where's Darcy." T.K demanded.

"Why would you want my son, of all people? Go play with your decrepit bodies."

T.K threw the table across the room, sending the utensils and plate-wear to shatter against the opposite wall.

"He raped my Sister!" He screamed.

Shadow simply grinned at the boy.

"I gave Sonya to my son as a gift for his promotion as Jyinn. There's no harm in hurting what belongs to you." Shadow took another sip of his tea, causing the adrenaline in T.K's veins to course all the faster. T.K tore the cup from Shadow's lips and punched him in the face. A re bruise began to form on the grinning man's cheek.

"One more time and I'll have you locked in the dungeons." he said.

"I'm going to find and Tear that bastard apart with my teeth and claws and I swear to God you'll be hearing his screams for days. Now wear is he?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"I'll stop my research and kill of everyone in this castle with the disease...."

"That's hardly any reason for me to give you my son."

T.K dragged the man to his feet.

"I'll kill you, I swear to God."

"That's more like it." Shadow grinned. He pushed the boy off of him and walked once more to the window.

"My sons are out on a little trip. Their in the Helvete Mountains. They'll be back in a few days... Perhaps."

"I'll be waiting." T.K growled darkly and left the room.

Shadow watched the boy leave with a ghost of satisfaction in his face.

_'He'll show what he can do, now....'_

T.K raged through the halls, tearing tapestries, knocking over tables, and smashing sculptures and vases. many thoughts raced through his head, everything and nothing. Nothing rational came to him, simple factors of rage and hate. He found himself making his way to the boiler room. He pushed open the massive iron doors into the blood soaked, corpse-filled room. He pulled two bodies, one of a pig and a little girl, and dragged them out of the room. With the pig over his shoulder and the girl under his arm, he hiked up the flights of stairs to the upper section of the castle.

He kicked the door in, showing the dark and dusty residence of Darcy's room. T.K dropped the bodies on the stone floor and sliced them open. Cold blood spilled on the floor, the smell wafting up to T.K's sensitive nose. His eyes dilated with anger and excitement. His vision showed only the ugly red and black of rage and he pierced his hands into the sick bodies and began painting the room with their blood. He tore the tapestries, destroyed the bed, broke the windows and smashed everything of value.

Behind him, Sonya watched silently. Her quiet travel through the corridors led her to her brother's dark energy. It scared her deeply.

However, a swelling sense of pride and justice began to form within her heart. A smile played gently on her face, her eyes glittering with gratefulness for his care.

His love....

---

In the Burnt out room, there was no movement. The cindered Pixies still lay within the grey flowers and leaves. The vines had fallen to the floor in decay, the colors drained of all life. The digidestined sat in the room in silence, mourning, thinking, praying. Why would such a thing happen? What could cause someone to do something so terrible?

"I wonder where Starlynn is." said Yolie finally, her voice broken from disuse and tears.

"I don't know...." Ken said.

"Do you think she reached the settlement?"

"I don't know...."

Another silence.

"We have to get out of here. It was a risk in the first place and our plan failed. We have to get out and come up with something else...." said Cody.

"Starlynn will be back soon with an analysis. She might be able to get us out of here...." said Ken.

Another hour of silence, or maybe a half hour.... They couldn't be sure. Everything was so intense. The quiet was so loud, it hurt their ears and ached their minds.

"What'll we do?" asked Yolie.

"What you always do." came a cracked and tired voice form the door. The group turned to find T.K standing in the archway covered in blood.

"You'll get out, you'll come up with another plan, and you will get Sonya out of here."

"T.K... what happened to you?" asked Ken as he stood. The blond was ragged, tired, out of breath. His unbuttoned shirt showed his greying skin and prominent ribs. he leaned tiredly against the arch, looking at the three through his mangled hair.

"You're in danger. After Darcy gets back, it'll be too dangerous for you to be here anymore. The bird are coming for you tonight."

"Wait... How? How do they know where we are, or how to get us out?"

"Before you sent Starlynn out, I told her to go to the Andacar and send the eagles. You will find them in the roayl arches, in the upper parts of the tower, tonight after dusk." T.K informed.

A laugh erupted around the corner and everyone jumped with surprise.

Megara rested her chin on T.K's shoulder and grinned at him.

"Hello handsome."

"What do you want Megara?" T.K growled.

"I can hear you through those doors, you know. I just wanna say, don't even try to get the little gnomes out. They can't escape here."

T.K raised a brow at her and looked her over suspiciously.

"You see, T.K..." Megara pulled out a jar with the little Pixie inside. "You can't even contact your little friends on the outside. No point in trying." she began to giggle and shake the jar.

"But-" Yolie started.

"She tried to come back, found her in the loft." The woman sneered into the glass. "You seeing this? You see your family killed? It's all because of you, little darling! You lonely? You wanna see 'em again? Okay, I can help you out." Megara began to pull the dead pixies from the flowers and threw them into the jar with the terrified, broken-winged creature. The jar began to fill and suffocate the Pixie. Yolie tried to grab the jar form the woman's hands.

"Stop it! You monster, they never did anything to you!"

"I don't need to justify myself!" Megara slapped Yolie and sent her to the ground. "Little bitch."

Ken, in a flare of rage, rushed Megara and sent her to the ground. The jar flew out of her grasp to the ground. Cody ran and barely caught it, causing the little creature inside to rattle painfully.

Cody apologized and began to take the bodies out.

Ken held the woman down and Yolie ran to help. Megara struggled, but laughed rather than yelled.

"You idiots! Do you realize what you've done now?" A pair of hands grabbed Ken from behind and lifted him into the air with Yolie right behind him. Shante and Ven both seized the pair and lifted them to their feet. They struggled and fought fiercely, but to no avail. The more they struggled, the tighter they were held. Yolie began to cough and sputter as Shante squeezed her ribs tighter.

"Stop it!" Cody cried. The jar was empty and the little pixie was sivering in his hands.

"Silence little creature." said Shante calmly and Cody was sent backward into the stone wall. The remaining ashes of the flowers fell on his head as trickles of blood escaped his wound. He touched the back of his head to stop the blood flow, but it began to cover his eyes and hands as well. He looked up to yell, but found he couldn't speak.

"You should learn your place." said the blond woman. Megara sat up, blood running from her grinning mouth.

"We'll be glad to put you in it. Take them to the cells." Shante and Vwen complied, dragging the lovers out of the room followed shortly by Megara with Cody in her grasp. They passed T.K, who merely stood leaning against the archway.

"Why T.K, don't be so glum. You have new test subjects now." said Megara with a sick smile and led them off. T.K watched as they left and his ear twitched.

_'Dammit....'_ he thought._ 'Now what'll I do? the Andacar will be here tonight. They can't come back after this....'_

_'You'll find a way....' _echoed Tojima's voice in his head. T.K's ear twitched again and he looked over his shoulder. The white-haired boy walked to his side and stared after the digidestined.

"I gotta hand it to 'em.... they're tough."

"Yeah.... Let's go. I can't leave Davis below for much longer." T.K turned to leave and walked strait through Tojima, who dissapeared in a flash of wind at tjhe blond's impact. He walked steadily down the halls, nostolgic, dizzy, content. The rage he'd exhibited in Darcy's chambers put a slight ease to his mind. Once he returned... just wait until he returned. he and his brother both. T.K didn't care whether the brother did anything, he would exact his revenge on them both. Then the lovers, Shante and Ven, Megara, then Shadow.

A smile played on his lips as he walked in his trance. The features on his face shifted for a brief moment and turned into those of Tojima's, but were then gone. T.K continued, unknowing of his change, unknowing of his fate.

Simply unknowing.

* * *

There's more simbolism in this than it looks. Tell me if you can find it, and what it means. You'll get a cookie and a gold star if you do! Hell, you might find something I didn't see. Tee Hee.... Don't forget to check into Shinaria's profile when you have the chance.

Please review, see you next chapter.


	11. 9: L'ermite: The Hermit

Sorry for the wait, but it's up so you can dry your eyes!

Anywho, there's some stuff in here a lot of you have been begging for, keep reading to find it!

Enjoy.

**Hint: Butterflies are a symbol of freedom.**

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* * *

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_"I never understood T.K's obsession with the diseases he created. It suddenly hit me that he was focusing on the only thing that kept the little sanity he had intact. Ironic, how the one thing keeping him sane was also the one thing killing him… like it was with Kari, who was killing his heart…." – **Matt, River of Tears.**_

**The Hermit: The card represents prudence. Discretion. Deliberation. Inner wisdom. Caution. Wisdom. Circumspection. Thriftiness. Self-denial. Withdrawal. Silent Council. Solicitude. Under certain circumstances this card also represents recession. Regression. Desertion. Annulment.**

---

The butterfly's wings glistened in the synthetic sunlight as they rocked delicately to and fro. The fiery amber shown in red hues, glinting various colors in Kari's eyes. She watched in fascination as the little creature settled uncomfortably beside the bars of the window. The antennae twitched back and forth, listening and smelling, taking in its surroundings. Its wing touched the bar and Kari saw the tear on the edge. It was broken, but still wavering, still determined to fly. Kari gently took the little insect into her hand, lifting it to her vision steadily, as not to frighten it. It fluttered to her face and took hold of several strands of her hair. It rested delicately and let its wings lower cautiously. Its comfort with the brunette touched her, and she allowed it to settle with her, for its settlement calmed her as well.

The old researcher watched with fancy. His furrowed brows lightened at the sight of the girl's serenity.

'_Perhaps she is ready to be released into Shadow's hands…. She shall be released this afternoon.'_ He thought. He chuckled to himself and rolled his eyes. _'And for a moment I thought she was dangerous.'_

He walked easily and carelessly down the halls away from the confinement rooms. Ready to inform Shadow of the girl's progress, he began to sing a merry tune for his success. Meanwhile, Kari watched the little butterfly settle in her hair and grinned. His mind was read, her plan was formulated, and their fates were sealed. An unfamiliar glint of gold reflected in her ruby eyes as they closed into dark sleep.

---

"Maybe we should go back to Gennai. Maybe they'll change their minds when we tell them what we've accomplished." Said Jyou, touching his sore jaw gingerly.

"I'm not too sure, They might not invite us back so easily. What's wrong with your jaw?" Tai asked.

Jyou popped his jaw once more and shook his head. "Nothing." Sora held her side with the Tiger scratches uncomfortably. They looked at each other uneasily, knowing, and yet not. The others were unaware of their gazes, and the two kept so. As the others talked the situation of the Satie and the Orenda, Jyou held his jaw in wonder and Sora looked at the marks. However, where there should have been a scar, there was nothing. Simply flesh.

_"You have to keep trying, girls!" Shouted Jyou from across the dungeon. He struggled against the chains that tied him to the wall. "You need to get out and get to Tai and Matt! You need to tell them where the castle is and what Shadow is doing!"_

_"Shut up." Said Shante as she suddenly appeared from nowhere. She slapped him across the face with a loud CRACK and a snap was heard in his jaw._

_"You foolish creatures… You have no idea what is planned here. This boy perhaps has grasped the concept of my master's plans, but he's so incoherent, he's suitable for a mental ward." Shante teased, fingering Jyou's cracked jaw. He winced with pain._

_"You leave him alone!" said Sora weakly. In a weak attempt, Sora bit at the shackles on her wrists, trying to break free._

_"You are quite a funny little girl. Tell me, did that Tiger's claw hurt you that bad? Can your really not move so well? Are you feeling sick? Poor baby" Shante laughed._

_Sora looked up at her, pain filling her body from the Scar on her side. Infection overcame her and she started writhing in pain._

_Shante laughed harder and louder and shriller at the red-head's pain until the girl fell unconscious._

The memory left an uneasiness around the pair. They had healed from their wounds remarkably fast and they hadn't realized it until right then.

What was happening?

Izzy noticed this in the corner of his vision.

"Sora, Are you sure you guys are alright?" he asked her quietly as Tai and Matt argued over the situation.

"I'm not sure, Izzy...." Sora confessed. Jyou looked at them with sullen eyes. "We don't know how it happened, or when, but our wounds are gone." The red-head added.

Izzy looked at them with wide eyes.

"Wounds? You were hurt?"

"Yeah, in the dungeons...but they're gone now," said Jyou.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. That's the thing...." Jyou answered, looking at the pair before the mountain scenery. "But somethings not right... Not with us, or with anything."

"Jyou, you and Sora have been stressed out lately. Maybe you should rest and let your minds start processing correctly." Izzy concluded.

"Izzy, it's not that were tired, something really is wrong." said Sora as she stood to her feet. Tai and Matt turned to look and noticed the discussion.

"What's that?" Tai asked.

"Somethings wrong, Tai. I don't' know what, but I think it's messing with us." said Sora.

"What are you talking about?" Matt inquired.

Jyou stepped beside Sora, solemn, steady, eyes down.

"I think something happened to us in the dungeons at the Castle." he said. The group looked at him intently. His eyes met theirs and his glasses flashed with the evidential light.

"And I think it's happening to T.K and Kari, too...."

---

T.K sat at the desk with his experiments, Emaciation tearing at his bones. He grew thin and wrangled with stress and hate. He could think only of Darcy and his return to the castle. Every moment passed like an hour in T.K's mind, every breath worked as a jagged rock against his heart. his cautious silence filled the room, suffocating all within it.

Davis knelt behind him to a group of children behind the bars. He gave them water and bread and they took it like ravenous animals. In his attempt to keep them from starving, a woman took hold on his arm and bit it. Davis pulled back quickly before the teeth could sink into the skin. T.K turned to the commotion.

"What the hell are you dong Davis?"

"I'm feeding them. They're no good to you already sick." said Davis, wiping the thick pink saliva from his forearm.

"You haven't been yourself lately, I mean more than usual."

"What are you talking about?" T.K muttered as he went back to his notes.

"Well, you've never really been yourself, so to speak, torture and manslaughter was never a regular routine of yours.... I mean you're quiet, distant, you're always thinking, never sleeping, never eating.... You're already sick, T.K, and you won't do anything about it. You're wasting away and you don't even realize it."

"I have more important things to worry about than myself." was the blond's response.

"Like What?" asked Davis with outrage.

"Like Sonya."

Silence fell over the two.

"I know what happened, I know who did it.... And I know what I'll do in return. I'm just working everything out in my mind right now, Davis."

Davis watched with horror as T.K spoke. His eyes were a bright and dilated, the little veins coursing red with lack of sleep. There as something strange in those eyes, something that was simply not there.

A sound came from the door to their right and they looked over. The oak doors swung open and Sonya tread in lightly with a tray of food. She kicked the door shut and walked to her brother.

"Here, you need to eat something." said said gently.

"No thanks, Sonya. You go right ahead."

"But, you'll get sick if you don't eat...." Sonya smiled, trying to keep her wavering composure. "I made it myself."

Davis looked at the cooked bird on the plate smelled the heavenly fragrance of freshly cooked meat. T.K never looked at the plate, but simply smiled at his sister.

"You'll get ill if you don't eat either, Sonya. And I haven't seen you eat in days. Go ahead, I'll get something later."

Sonya's eyes drew downcast and she turned to the cage. She set the plate before the panting children, who tore away at the meat, followed quickly by the rest of the pin. The animals in the pin, all resembling humans, all in the mind of a ravenous beast. Disease had driven them all insane. Davis wondered to himself if the same thing was happening to T.K.

T.K continued his work, completely ignoring the sounds and movement behind him.

"T.K, where are the others?" asked Sonya lightly.

"Uh, they're down below." he answered with a pop of his knuckles.

"Below... Cleaning the cells?"

"Yeah...."

Davis knew he was lying. He looked at Sonya and saw she knew as well. She didn't pursue the question any further.

"Sonya, why don't you walk around a moment, get some air. It's not safe for you down here." said T.K with a soft smile.

Sonya hesitated, then nodded and glanced at Davis. Her eyes were frightened and she seemed to have hit a realization. What it was, Davis couldn't understand. She left and shut the door behind her with a soft, echoing thud.

"Davis. I need you to go to the Foyer on the main level and give this to the watch dogs there." T.k handed a crumpled piece of paper to the brunette.

"There are two of them, Dobermans, don't be afraid of them. Just mention me and you'll be fine." Davis took the note in his hands and examined the wrinkled paper. He turned and left for the Foyer, questions running through his head and answers evading his sights.

"Oh and Davis." T.K called just as the door was about to shut. Davis Turned and Looked at the blond.

"Do make sure no one else knows."

Perplexed, Davis nodded and returned to his route. He continued to think on the situation.

His curiosity for Sonya's thoughts as she left grew and he came to an idea. T.K didn't want her below with the illnesses. He already knew he was sick, and he didn't want Sonya to suffer the same thing. He wanted her to leave him alone in the dark.

To die alone....

This thought halted Davis's movements to a sudden stop. He was dying, and he didn't care? He wasn't going to do anything about it? Was life so dark for him he is refusing to live? Davis shook himself from his thoughts and found he was already at the Foyer. Two Doberman Guards stood before the Oak doors, staring intently at were tall and stood like men. Their armor was silver and emblemed with the Water Tribe symbol. Davis wondered greatly about their alliance with Shadow, or with T.K? Their spears stood erect at their sides, unmoving like their wielders.

Davis gingerly made his way to them and they looked at the boy. Their lips curled back into snarl and Davis felt his heart leap into his throat.

_'Calm down, they won't bite if you calm down.' _he thought. He cleared his throat and presented the message to the dogs.

"T.K wanted me to give this to you." he said.

One of the Dobermans took the note from the boys hand and examined the writing. He then looked at the Brunette standing before him.

"You boy, you're a digidestined, are you not?" he asked. Davis nodded.

"I thought so. So you're one of the ones that's supposed to stop this war? Save everything in it from annihilation?" Davis hesitated and nodded once more, too afraid to speak.

"Do you not have a voice boy? Speak up! Weakness will not be tolerated in the forces. Our lord has instructed us to take you out of here."

"How?" Davis inquired weakly.

"The Andacar have been called off. Eyes have been spotted all over the tower, we need to think of another plan. I need you to gather yor other friends and meet us here tonight. We might be able to pull it off.

"They can't...." said Davis.

"What do you mean they can't?"

"They're in the dungeons...."

The Doberman growled with anger and frustration.

"Damn it, that why he called them off...."

"Now what?" asked the other guard.

"I don't know...."

The rushing blood caused Davis's head to spin and everything grew blurry. He stood steadily, however, so as not to show the dogs any weakness. But his worry for his friends grew. He had to get them out before something terrible happened.

But deep in Davis's heart, he knew something already did.

---

Chains clattered, rats climbed the walls, rain leaked through the windows and ceiling. A scream erupted and echoed through the cold room. A skeleton's head shook to its chest, its wrists turned to dust and it fell to the ground form its chains on the wall. A rack, an Iron Maiden, masks, chairs, spikes, needles, weapons, insects, every possible disgusting torture method was strewn throughout the room.

Another scream.

"Leave her alone you son of a bitch!" Ken screamed. Ven lowered the whip and looked at the raven haired boy with a grin. Turning around, he lashed Yolie once more, causing her to cry out in pain. Her bare back was bloody and lined with broken flesh. Pain washed through her body as the blood seeped out.

"I said stop!"

Shante laughed and licked his ear.

"Forget about her, Baby. Come play with me." she whispered and took his lips in hers. He tore his face away and spat at her feet.

"Yolie!" Shante slapped him, leaving a long bleeding claw mark on his face.

"How dare you ignore me like that! And for this little four-eyed slut?" She hit him again. Ken glared back up at the woman.

"The only slut I see here is standing in front of me."

Shante pulled a chain from a rusted table and commenced in beating the boy.

Cody watched with fear, his face was covered with an iron mask and his hands and legs bound by chains. The blood from his head wound steadily seeped over his face and filled the mask. He coughed, causing the blood to spurt from the holes in the mask.

Shante and Ven were laughing with jollity as the lashes came down on the digidestined. Cries and grunts of pain came from the lovers, sending chills of pleasure and arousal through the villains' spines. The rats ran to the blood and lapped it up like water, the ants crawled in and out of the digidestiend's wounds.

"Please, Stop... Leave Yolie... alone." Ken begged, panting, breathless.

"I wouldn't beg for her life. I'd beg for my forgiveness." Shante sneered.

"Fuck you." Yolie spat. "Ken, Don't listen to her."

"Ken don't listen to her." Ven imitated, baring his teeth and kicked Yolie in the ribs. A loud snap sounded from her chest and she withered to the floor. Ken thrust forward, but chains held him from his lover. Cody saw this and struggled as well, causing his wound to widen and blood to run faster. He began to choke on the red liquid and he sputtered for breath. Shante and Ven saw this and grinned at each other.

"If you guys don't wanna play with us, then maybe little Cody here will." Ven picked up the boy and undid his chains. Cody was faint and dizzy and couldn't move. The thoughts that ran through his head slowed and his flesh grew cold. He began to shiver with the cold and couldn't focus on the matter at hand. Shante strapped the boy onto a table and chained his wrists and ankles, making him sprawl out on the rusted surface.

"One two, ready, Pull!" Shante cheered happily as Ven responded with the wheel. The rack twisted and pulled on the chains until Cody's limbs wouldn't allow it any further. He gasped with the presence of the pain.

"What's that? You want more?" Ven asked with fake enthusiasm. He turned the wheel once more and the chains pulled further, tearing at his muscles and his joints cracked.

"No, Cody!" Ken called out rashly.

Another turn of the wheel, another crack of the bone, another tear of the ligaments. The blood poured from this mask in streams, he cough and sputtered more and more. He began to suffocate in the pain and drown under the pressure of the blood and the mask. The pain was unbearable.

Shante and Ven sang and laughed and teased the boy the way. As Ven turned the wheel, Shante danced over him like a pole. She nibbled at his ears and licked his jaw, the atmosphere arousing her further and further. They laughed more and more, drowning out Cody's inner cries of pain.

And other turn of the wheel, a loud crack in the spine. Cody shook with the shock and he trembled violently.

"No! Cody, No!" Ken and Yolie struggled harder than ever to help their endangered friend, but it was too late. Ven turned the Wheel one more time and the chord snapped in the boy's spine. He stopped moving, the blood gurgled from his mouth and out form under the iron mask.

"NO!" Ken Shouted with anger and Yolie dropped her head and sobbed.

The Sick lovers danced with each other and danced with Cody's body. They carried the body before Ken and Yolie and began to ravage it like wild dogs.

Yolie turned away, unable to watch through her tears. Ken glared on, torturous thoughts formulating in his mind.

Cody's death would not go unavenged.

---

In the Orenda settlement, the inhabitants murmured mutiny, deceit, and war. They muttered amongst themselves over the digimon they housed for the 'traitors' Page told of. In the hut, the creatures felt the glares and deafening mutters throughout the camp. The peaceful Satie wandered through and listened to the tale of the digidestined's careless traverse into the Dark Castle and the high possibility of their release of information to the enemy.

"Page told me that she always suspected them, too." whispered a woman.

"I know, she used to say how great they were, then she met them and her opinion changed dramatically." said another.

The sounds were disgusting to the ears of the sick cat in the hut. She heard everything being spoken from her spot in the corner of the dark room. The other digimon tried to ignore the sounds and paid their attention to Gatomon. She was sweating profusely and panting hard.

"Do you need more water, Gatomon?" asked Gomamon.

"I... Can't... See....." was all she could mutter.

"She's been muttering the same thing over and over for the past two days. This isn't good. At this rate, She's won't make it before the others escape the castle." said Gabumon.

"Don't say that. We have to have faith everything will turn out alright. If not, who knows what will happen?" Biyomon protested.

"I Hope Cody's okay.... I don't-" Armadillomon said, but broke off suddenly. He gazed out before him for a moment. "I don't... know... What I'd... Do...." he backed up a moment, shaking.

"Armadillomon! What's wrong?" Asked Hawkmon.

The digimon didn't answer. He stared out before him with wide, dilated eyes. Suddenly, they lidded and he walked with a trance out the door.

"Armadillomon, where are you going?" Veemon called. "Armadillomon!" Everyone shouted after the slowly retreating digimon.

"What happened?" wondered Palmon.

"Do you think...?" Tentomon started and trailed off.

"This would only happen if... Oh no.... Do you think Cody's...?"Gabumon wondered.

"It must be. Something terrible has happened, we have to get them out. I don't care what everyone else says, I'm going to save Yolie!" Hawkmon shouted and flew out of the hut. The others hesitated a moment and looked at Gatomon.

"Gatomon, Are you strong enough to walk?" Gabumon asked.

"She can't move. She's getting weaker and weaker with the passing hour." Gomamon protested.

"Kari's in danger... That's all the strength I need." the cat coughed and sat up. Her blind eyes looked far away, past the other digimon and she felt for their touch. Finding Biyomon's and Gabumon's shoulders, they led her out of the hut and in the direction Hawkmon flew.

"We have to find Tai and the others. They should have gathered an army by now." said Wormon.

"Where could they be though?" Palmon wondered. "I mean, it's not like Mimi's bright enough to leave bread crumbs for us...."

"We're digimon, we have senses stronger than the children's'. We can find them, no problem. We just have to try." breathed Gatomon. Her ears drooped from fast exhaustion, but she continued none-the less. the people of the village watched them cautiously, speaking nothing and glaring silently. The creatures knew that trickery had been laid on them, but their worry for the digidestined was too strong for them to pay any mind.

They would find the digidestined. They would save them, they would stop the madness that threatened their world.

Page and Chloe saw the procession of the digimon and the parted waves of onlookers. Chloe's heart sank further and further with every step the creatures took, for she knew of their futile mission. Deep in her heart, she felt she made the wrong choice to follow her cousin. Page watched with nonchalance, but inside she struggled with Gennai's words.

_"Page, you have to understand…." Gennai started. "These are not just mere children. They may act rash, foolish even, but they are the key to saving this world and others."_

Maybe he was right... maybe she was being too protective. Since her servitude with Karakin oh so many years before, she couldn't bring herself to follow the direction of others.

"Page, dear.... We must inform Gennai." said Chloe.

Page was hesitant. She knew she should listen, but she was too prideful. She berated herself in her mind and turned to Chloe.

"Let us go."

---

T.K sat alone in the cold tomb. The screaming hordes behind the bars cried in pain and terror, but sending no reaction to the boy before them. He brooded, thinking, wondering, when a sweet voice drifted through the air.

"Archangel, Dark angel, lend me thy light. through death's veil till we have heaven in sight." A hand grasped the ragged cloth and pulled it back to cover the howling prisoners. The sounds echoed through the red fabric. T.K ignored the familiar sound and stared at the yellowing pages before him.

"Archangel, Dark angel, lend me thy light. through death's veil till we have heaven in sight."

_'Maybe... something more deteriorative.... Necrosis, could that be what I'm missing?' _he thought. He felt a presence behind him, which he continued to ignore. He knew what it was. It would disappear soon. It always did.

A pair of slim, warm hand cradled his jaw and ran down his neck and chest under his loosely buttoned shirt. The touch was intoxicating.

It would leave soon.

It always did.

Her soft lips brushed his ears and smiled.

"Archangel, Dark angel, lend me thy light."

"What is it now?" T.K muttered lightly, as if talking to himself.

"I want to see you again." came her rich voice.

T.K tried to ignore the illusion, but the touch seemed so real. She pulled her hands back and ran her fingers through his hair. Her brown locks fell into his face.

"Kari...." T.K breathed.

"You think I'm not here?" She asked with a smile.

T.K didn't answer. He simply stared at the pages and tried to mull over his idea, but the woman behind him drew his attention form his work.

It would leave soon, it always did.

Right?

"Look at me." she whispered to him. T.K turned an looked into Kari's ruby eyes. A gentle fire burned in her eyes. It seemed so real. He stood and faced her, looking down at her small beautiful frame.

"It's me." she said. "It's really me."

"I don't think-" T.K was cut off by Kari's warm hand.

"Shhhh.... It's alright. You're tired, and worn down. You should rest." she comforted as she pulled her body closer to his.

_'This isn't real... it never is....' _T.K thought, despite his pounding heart. Her warmth, her touch, her scent, her voice, it was never so real until then. Was she here?

"T.K... I don't know what happened... but whatever it is, we can get through it. I love you." T.K's heart pounded faster and faster, he thought he would faint. His vision turned white around Kari's body, showing only her face in his sight. He found himself wrapping his cold arm around her and kissing her head. She cuddled into his touch like a cat.

"I love you, Kari. I love you so much." he whispered shakily. He still couldn't fully believe Kari was there. Too many hallucinations, too many dreams, illusions. An effect of losing that part of his mind, but he was content with this illusion. It was real enough.

Two smiles formed on Kari's face. Her love for T.K, and to finally express it. Her love for Karakin, and her chance to prove herself.

The game was on.

* * *

Did I mention I suck at romance scenes? It's not something regular in my daily life, so I'm just guessing here. Whatever, roll your eyes, I don't care. But it gets real cool and hopefully funny after this. ^^

Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!


	12. 10: La Roue de Fortune: Wheel of Fortune

Sorry it took so long to update. I was finishing up school, but now that we're on Summer vacation, I should be able to update quicker, based on reviews, suggestions, and whether or not I have to work that day.

Please read and enjoy! Sorry if it's crap!

_

* * *

"I once read in Myth Studies of a demon who wandered the earth in search of solace. 'I once found peace in the Minyou River,' it said, 'and the wolves were my fathers, the tiger my protector. The Sun of the Protector and Moon of the Fathers were conjoined in harmony for thousands of years, until a bitter argument over a mate. They crossed paths and fought, just as the Fathers and the Protector fought. They separated, forever in hatred of each other. Then I, the child, wandered alone and thus became a Demon.' The story… it's strange, but it makes me think of Karakin in way…." **– Izzy, Orenda Ruins.**_

**The Wheel of Fortune: This card signifies progress. Advancement for better or possibly worse. Luck. Godsend. Probability. Ultimate infinity. Fate. Destiny. Future. Unexpected events may occur. The entire sequence of the wheel suggests the course of events from beginning to end. Inevitability. Necessity. That which was, is and shall be remains the same so one must be alert to unexpected opportunity.**

---

__

"T.K says you're from Ireland. Which part? Dublin, Kilkenny, Donegal?" Kari named off.

"Donegal." Sonya answered meekly.

"Ah. Is it nice there?" Kari asked.

She nodded her head.

---

__

'That pentacle is solid silver. Watch out for her.' Said Karakin in my head.

'Why? She's so dainty.' Kari asked her.

'She's the forest child. As gentle as she may be, she can be dangerous.' Said Karakin. 'You'll find out soon, if you're not careful.'

---

__

"I can feel your pain." Said the voice. Sonya's heart was beating quickly.

"You have lost a friend, one of many to come, and the betrayal you feel from your parents for selfishly keeping you to themselves." The voice said.

"Who are you?" Sonya questioned, still searching.

"Someone you can trust, a friend." It answered. Sonya shivered.

"There are others much like yourself; hurt, betrayed, needlessly punished."

Sonya swallowed hard and walked deeper into her room.

"They need help, you need help, and I'm here to offer it." It said.

---

'_The Harvesters are harmless, you need not fear them.'_

'_You __**don't **__have to be afraid of these creatures. They can do you no__** harm.**__'_

'_The only thing that you should be __**wary**__ of...__** Is me**__.'_

---

Squawks, Howls, growls, pacing figures. The creatures argued amongst themselves over TK and the Fire Relic.

"Is it true? Has T.K gone insane?"

"I knew we couldn't trust him."

"We should have killed him with the Orenda long ago."

"Silence. The boy is still on our side. He still fights with himself. He only needs support."

"He only needs a kick to the head."

"His mind is lost, but not his motives."

"What do you mean, Tzadik?"

"I've watched T.K through the trees and the rocks. His wandering is a guise. He spies on the members within the castle, has set up support at the doors, and is leaking information to Sheba."

"You're saying he's just pretending to have lost track of his goal?"

"Yes."

"He hasn't gotten very far with it I hear."

"He has yet to be caught. He is on the verge, I can feel it."

"What does Sheba think of this?"

"Her faith has only strengthened for the boy."

"And yours as well, I suppose?'

"Yes."

"Why do you think the boy is trust worthy?"

"I Can hear his heart beat slower and slower the more he concentrates. He focuses for the love of Sheba. The only real Mother's love he's ever faced. He'll fight for it as long as he breathes."

...

"I must say this for him, his trickery is admirable. I have to wonder how he still breathes... After all this time."

"Yes, the bite Tzadik gave him was enough to kill several horses, and the venom could have wiped out the Satie establishment. Why is he still alive?"

"His immunity?"

"It's not an immunity, he's able to shift...."

"Then what? Not many humans are able to survive San Cen venom!"

"Tojima? Maybe his presence in T.K's soul is allowing him to withstand the pressure."

"Whatever the case, we need to stay on one track. T.K needs our support, and support we shall give. He is already so close to retrieving the Fire Relic."

"What are you talking about Nicoli? How do you know?"

"He just sent news through the guards. He knows where Shadow is keeping the pendant."

"But I'm afraid, Kari does as well...."

...

"She'll be battling him for it, no doubt with trickery. He must be on his guard."

"He won't be. Who would suspect their first love?"

---

"So, you think there was something done to you to cause this?" Asked Tai.

Jyou and Sora nodded their heads.

"I remember men in white jackets taking Sora and Jyou out of the room, or sometimes even doing things to them right there." said Mimi. "I saw them inject something into their blood several times. I remember thinking that you were going to die, so many times, Jyou...."

"That's possible. I wouldn't put it past Shadow to experiment with Genetic modification on humans. But why?" Izzy wondered aloud.

"Practice, I'd imagine." Said Jyou. "Scientists test medicines, diseases and antidotes on animals before humans. Maybe that what we were... Animals."

"But practicing for what? I don't get it...." Matt added.

"Don't you see?" came a dark feminine voice. The digidestined turned and saw Inca crouched on a fallen tree behind them. Her tail swished back and forth behind her, the fading light made her fur and eyes glow.

"The drugs they tested on you were for T.K and Kari."

"What? Why?" Tai demanded.

"I don't know why, Shadow's just sick that way, but I think it might have something to do with his paranoia. You already know he wanted body guards. So why not make them? He found Kari and T.K, two people who were deeply influenced by darkness, and decided to play with their souls. The serum he gave you was supposed to alter your DNA and cause you to become a stronger faster 'hunter.' The Perfect Guard. The effects must not have kicked in until now."

"What side effects?" Izzy inquired.

"Enhanced recovery, sight, smell, hearing, strength. I guess they thought it would never work on you, being mere human."

"How do you know?" Asked Sora with suspicion.

"I know many things, my dear. But who knows? I might just be crazy." the cat grinned at the brunette.

"What do you mean , 'influenced by darkness?'" Matt questioned.

"I'm not knowledgeable of everything, son. But perhaps struggles in the home? Abuse? Neglect? Or the previous loss of one's mind?"

"T.K isn't crazy!" Matt retorted.

"I wasn't referring to him." Inca grinned knowingly. The digidestined watched her curiously.

"Who is my leader? My master and commander?" she questioned them.

"...Karakin." Tai answered hesitantly, treading lightly for fear of a trap.

"That's right. Who is she influencing right now?"

The adults wondered for a moment and realized what the Cheetah meant.

"Your sister, I'm afraid she's lost. There's no helping her. No matter what that silly old prophecy says, you can't help her now. You can still save the twins, but you might as well forget about Kari. It'll be less painful later."

The outraged adults were ready to attack the Cheetah where she stood. Inca, seeing the rage and determination in the digidestined, softened a little. She smiled at Tai and gave a chuckle.

"You do what you must. To help a loved one, it just might be enough. But I warn you.... You will not like what you find at the end."

"Will you help us?" Asked Izzy.

"No. I cannot help you, but I will not stop you. Now Go. We will meet again soon. Good Luck" With that Inca turned and dissipated in the deepening darkness of the forest.

"Disturbance settled over the silenced Digidestiend. Tai was very shaken. _'Previous loss of one's mind.'_

_'She's lying. Kari's okay, she'll be okay.'_

For some reason, he very much doubted himself.

---

They followed the scent down to the raw materials of the earth. The digimon rarely stopped, their pursuit for their partners growing more and more urgent by the passing moment. They found their trail, they found their prints. Gatomon refused to stop, though she could see nothing before her.

"Gatomon, we should stop here. You need to catch your breath." Said Tentomon. The others agreed.

"No. We have to keep going. I need to find Kari. I have to know she's safe…." And they solemnly continued.

Gatomon tried her hardest to ignore the invisible pains that shot throughout her body. She was sure there was nothing physically wrong with her, she knew she didn't hurt herself, but the pain! It was almost unbearable. She bit her tongue to silence her shouts, causing herself to seer into the soft tissue and bleed into her sensitive stomach. She tried to think of Kari and not the pain, but the pain! It was too terrible, her thoughts were wrenched away from her partner every time it shot through her head. Soon, it was constant and unceasing.

She writhed and cried out. She fell beside the small river that ran past them. Blood seeped lightly from her lips and into the clear waters. Everyone stopped and surrounded the sick creature.

"Gatomon, are you alright?" asked Biyomon gingerly. Gatomon held her tongue, but shook with the pains. She couldn't hold it in for long. She cried out once more, then caved. She collapsed to the rhythm of the pain, rocking and panting to it's sensation.

"L-leave… me." She stuttered.

"What? No! Are you crazy? We aren't going to leave you like this." Said Gomamon courageously.

"We're going to find the others, then Kari. Remember? You can't just give up." Palmon persisted, hoping her words would cause the cat to continue.

"I'm of no use to anyone now." Gatomon said, biting her lip. "Please, just find Kari, keep her safe for me…" She coughed, sputtering blood onto the ground.

The others didn't want to leave her, they stuck around until she growled up at them, her blind eyes flaring.

"GO!"

The digimon solemnly, dejectedly, turned and slowly left the ill creature by the river.

Only the song of the babbling river gave her company. She listened, twitching with the pains and the heartache. She would never see her friend again. She would never see her live, never see her fulfill her dreams and change the world.

At least she wouldn't have to see her die. If it were the case....

Gatomon released her quick-held breath, her tail flicking into the water painfully. For another hour, she lay in blind agony, unknowing of how long she'd have to wait for death's hand to lead her away. She wanted to see it come to her and take her to a faraway place, to watch Kari from afar.

She hoped she would....

She thought of the land that lay ahead for her. Maybe she would be able to live without fear and have the comfort of knowing Kari would be safe.

She hoped she would....

In her mind, Gatomon desperately clung to this thought as the excruciating pains washed over her shaking body. Her faded eyes stilled and her breathing began to cease as she faded into darkness.

Her hope was never granted.

---

Night in that land of death and hatred.... Unknowing, apathetic, lonely.

The song of the dead and dying rocked Kari's mind nearly into sleep. A shudder of pain, a gasp, a piercing shot through her ears. Everything span around the room, taking Kari along with them. When everything slowed down, a pain remained in her heart. A hole, something missing.

Kari put a hand to her heart dizzily, wondering for a moment what happened.

"Are you alright?" Asked T.K from his writer's desk.

"She's gone...." said Kari faintly, looking to the ground, thinking.

"Who?"

"Gatomon."

"How do you know?"

"I just... I can feel it. It's like a shot through the heart." Kari looked up at the apathetic boy, knowing his lack of sympathy for the cat. In fact, a smile began to form over his face as a laugh swelled in his throat.

"What are you chuckling at?" the brunette asked.

"Nothing, Kari. Just nothing." T.K answered and went back to his work, smiling. Kari knew what 'nothing' was. A pain of resentment swelled in her bosom and she glanced at the boys face. Amusement was etched there, but it seemed hollow.

_'Amusement, none-the-less.'_she thought bitterly. She rested her head on his shoulder and watched him write. His small script filled the page with red and black ink, the red likely coming from his 'patients.' Kari watched the words flow like water on the page. Words she couldn't read or understand.

She found a word she could distinguish, however. Necrosis.

_'He wants to add necrosis into his symptoms?'_ Wondered Karakin in Kari's mind. _'This boy certainly has a good idea. We can use this, my dear.'_

_'How?'_ Kari asked.

_'Give him what he wants.'_

Kari could feel the thick air around her grow heavy. She smelled the rank illnesses of the people behind the drawn curtain and felt it penetrate her senses. She felt strange then. Something was happening to her.

T.K noticed her arm twitch and he looked over at the brunette beside him.

"You alright?" He asked lightly. Kari nodded her head, but didn't look at him. She glanced at his eyes briefly, but felt a heat wave rush through her body, burning her cheeks a blazing red. For a brief moment, everything went white. She saw two figures in the snowy vision, she couldn't make them out very well, but she knew what was happening. A couple, holding each other as if they would never meet again, stood in a meadow surrounded by trees. The vision was gone as soon as it came, leaving Kari to wonder about what she saw. She wrapped her arm around T.K's and nestled into this thinning shoulder. T.K looked down at her with love, confusion, hesitation.

_'It's a nice illusion...'_ he thought as he went back to his research. He have it soon. He was so close to his goal, he couldn't be distracted by his infected imagination.

Kari's mind washed over with thoughts, fascinations, memories. Her first day of school, first meeting T.K, The hardships. Oh the hardships. she remembered the misery Ashely and her friends brought to her, how Kari exacted her revenge and how good it felt to desecrate the girl's face. She remembered her friends at the school, who were once her friends, either way. How oddly her heart beat when she thought of them, whether or not they were okay. How oddly her blood rushed through her veins as she thought of the state of her world, a hidden knowledge of its demise seemed buried in the crevices of her mind. Kari thought of times she shared with T.K and Sonya and the others. The time when she thought of them as her friends. She loved T.K, but she felt the incessant need to kill him, to strip his bones of his flesh. The other digidestined, she felt betrayed by them. Their disloyalty, their attempts to kill her, to strip her of her foundations. They gave her to the Orenda, the Orenda humiliated and tried to kill her. She could never forgive Page, or the digidestined. She couldn't understand why they would do it, she wasn't sick, she wasn't crazy or evil. Not then, anyway. So why? She would feel her revenge break their bones one day. Perhaps, on the road, she would come to understand their motives.

Kari didn't want to understand. She just wanted to kill.

Starting with the bastard she once called her brother.

---

_"Reports of these fortresses are growing more and more urgent. All communications to the inner regions of the walls are cut off, leaving loved ones outside to worry. Military units are on the way to negotiate entry, but so far results are dim. Officials believe that force will soon be necessary to tearing down the walls."_

_"There's no need to build any 'quarantine' areas. They're swallowing up whole cities, there's something very wrong here!"_

_"Eye-witness testimony states hordes of animals walking like humans are overrunning the major cities and killing off the people inside. Police are still baffled by the consistent story, but no real leads have been made."_

_"Citizens centered around 421 East Hirotama Lane as Police uncover the grisly slaughter of the residence in the apartments. Among these are prominent businessman Mitsu Haru, his wife Sarah-lee Haru, and their son Saktan Haru. Each body within the complex seems to have been stricken with some sort of virus, causing the flesh peeling away from their bones at a rapid rate."_

_"Donegal, Ireland. A considerably quiet and peaceful town, now shaken by the sudden loss of prominent Town's head Patrick Ross and his wife Mairead Ross. Authorities found the Ross family's home in ruins. The livestock were slaughtered, their heads placed on the Picket fence along the trail to Town. Reports are in on their missing daughter, Sonya Ross. Authorities suspect foul play, and fear for the life of the young girl."_

_"Police found contact into Brooklyn this afternoon and are now trying to communicate with survivors of the mysterious quarantine."_

_"Several bodies were found this morning in Shibusu Park, Odaiba. Police have identified Kira Shultz,__ Mya Tsumi__, and Odiaba high school teacher Amy Crlymoto as three of the the victims. Speculators feel that these murders are related to those of the Apartment Slaughter just three days ago. Similar murders have been happening all around the globe, causing experts to think this is world-wide Genocide."_

_"More reports of anamorphic felines walking the roads of America, and now in Europe? Experts believe this may be a cause from genetic experimentation on animals."_

_"Along-side big cats, werewolves seem to be roaming the streets of Caracas."_

_"These animals seem to be carrying machine weaponry."_

_"Stay in your homes and bar your doors and windows, folks."_

_"This is not just coincidence, ladies and Gentlemen. The Apocalypse seems to be on the verge. Plague has begun to spread throughout Canada and parts of New Zealand."_

_"The Death Toll is rising dramatically."_

_"So... Many Dead...."_

_"God only knows what's next.... God only knows...."

* * *

_

Do you remember some of these people at the end?

I kinda like tyhe new flashes at the end. New reports and interviews from all around the world. I can only speak and write in English, so lets pretend everyone else can, too. Tee Hee. Please review and tell me what you think! The more reviews I get the happier I am, the faster I review! And remeber, I will take any suggestions into consideration. If I find it to fit in the plot line somewhere, I will consider it!Thanks for reading. See you next chapter.


	13. 11: La Froce: Strength

I'M SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOORRRRYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! I meant to have this up on 9/11, but I was held back! I'm sorry for the wait and I'm sorry for cutting out like that. School's back up, work is in progress, and I'm making plans for college, road trips, and future finance. Crap, I know.

**READ PLEASE **

**This is a very awkward chapter, and you'll see why. I have to establish the mind set of some of my characters, so if you find something too weird, please forgive me. There's nothing wrong with me! I promise! But I want you to be aware of some of the graphic situations that may occur, some will be offended, some won't care. I just want you to know that I don't like this chapter at all and I couldn't wait to be done with it. Sorry it's so long, just please try and suffer through it or you won't understand the next chapter!**

P.S: I've had some beautiful reviews after the notice. I want to thank each and every one of you for your kindness. It warms my soul when I see a kind review like these. You make me smile, which is hard to do these days. So thank you so much!

Enjoy!

* * *

"_It's difficult to pick sides in battle, especially when someone you love is the insane leader of the tribe of undead cats…. On the other hand… T.K wasn't so sane himself, he was equally crazy, and neither of them made any sense. The only reasoning I could make out from either of them was that the other should die…. What could I have done, besides take the side that would kill them both?" – __**Tai, Toltec Ruins.**_

**Strength - This card Symbolizes courage. Fortitude. Energy. Determination. Magnanimity, Resolution. Strength to endure in spite of all obstacles. Physical strength. Spiritual power. Overcoming material power. Hidden Forces at work. Self-reliance. Heroism. Virility. Confidence. Intensity. Defiance. Fervor. Zeal. Triumph of love over hate.**

---

'_I need to get Yolie out of here soon, before something terrible happens to her, too.' Ken thought grimly as he watched Shante and Ven dissect Cody's body. He looked away with disgust and shame. He looked at the window where the black sky drifted above them. No moonlight, no sunlight. He didn't know what time of day, or night, it was. He looked to his restrains which tethered his wrists and ankles to the floor. Yolie was posted on a wheel on the opposite wall. Her eyes were clouded with tears and rage for their deceased friend. _

_Ken narrowed his eyes. He would get them out, if it was the last thing he did. They would escape and devise a new plan, one that would work the first time around and one they wouldn't have to improvise in. _

_The first shot had led them here…._

_He wouldn't allow this to continue any further._

---

"I will ask one more time, Giant. Have you seen the Digidestined?" Page asked with an aggravated groan.

"Yes, they have been through here. We have struck agreement." Said Rratcklyn.

Page and Chloe looked up to the towering creature as he spoke, his voice jolted through their bodies.

"Where are they now?" asked Chloe.

"They have left for Shadow's castle. They have gained the side of the Wolves, you see. They will all try to rescue the children." Rratcklyn said. He thought a moment. "They claim your refusal to help."

"Well, we want to help." Said Page.

"Since finally learning of their importance?"

"Don't judge me creature!" the angry woman snarled.

"It is to my understanding that you are our enemy, Page and Chloe."

"What are talking about Rratcklyn?" Chloe inquired fearfully. "Our tribes have been allies for centuries!"

"Not anymore." Rratcklyn's forest green eyes burned fiery red as he slammed his fist upon the frightened woman, crushing her bones beneath the weight. Page dodged out of the way and hid in the underbrush, unnoticed by Rratcklyn.

"And never again." The giant smiled and walked away from the broken body on the forest floor. Page began to run into the darkening woods from the creature. Rratcklyn turned his head and began to follow. In his pursuit, Jagar and Jaganu appeared at his side.

"Situation?" Jagar inquired.

"The Digidestined have been aligned with us, Jagar. We now only need to intercept Shadow and the Wolves." The Giant answered.

"You're quite sure of this plan?" Jagar looked up at his comrade.

"Yes, I am. The digidestined are under the impression that we're helping their friends escape the castle. They will do anything for them, even fight to the death. We can easily use this to our advantage." Rratcklyn said. The cats smiled and darted after the running woman. Rratcklyn grinned over his shoulder.

'_Lady Karakin, your army grows. We will assemble and meet you soon.'_

---

Davis and Sonya watched T.K throw the ball at the wall and catch it once more. Over and over he made this action, thinking, unspeaking.

"Uh… T.K, What are you doing?" Davis inquired.

"You haven't gotten sick down here at all, have you?" T.K asked, ignoring Davis's question.

"…No…." Davis answered uncertainly, wary of where the conversation was going.

"That's what I thought…." T.K muttered and continued throwing the ball. They watched once more in silence, Curious whether or not T.K would continue to his point. Instead, T.K turned to Davis once more curiously.

"Do you like birds?"

Davis was flabbergasted, unable to answer with the oddity of the question. T.K turned to the wall once more.

"I like birds. He muttered. "They're smart you know…. They can get lost in, say, a castle like this one and still find some way out. Say a bird flew in from the windows up by Shadow's dorms. He could easily escape through there, as well. You see… the key is stealth. There are predators everywhere, but the birds are typically out of their reach. They can silently sneak around a cat if it desperately wanted to. And once it's in the air, you can bet it's gone."

Davis listened with wonder at T.K apparent loss in mental stability, but felt there was something deep in his words. Sonya looked at Davis, signaling she already knew where T.K was going with his point. Davis listened as intently as he could, feeling that the information T.K was giving him was important somehow.

"What if a bird got locked in an enclosed room?" He asked, exploring to see if Sonya's hypothesis was right. T.K looked at the brunette with a dark smirk.

"I don't know…. Megara is master of most of the bird cages in the castle. Lots of keys. Birds are sneaky, and they can be unpredictable. If they wanted out of their cage, they'd have to find the key, which their 'Cagemaster' has. A bird would just have to find out where the right key is to get free. Birds are smart… you should listen to them sometime…."

Something clicked in Davis's mind which made him suddenly understand what T.K was talking about. He was right, Stealth was the key. To the pair's luck and joy, T.K was as stealthy as they came….

And the tricky bastard just told them how to escape the castle.

---

"My Son, how was your journey?" Shadow inquired as Darcy and Timmy stood before Shadow's throne.

"Good, Sir. The villagers in the mountains have given their full allegiance to you. They will due battle with the neighboring tribes and soon the world will be at our feet." The young man answered with a dark smirk over his face. Shadow smiled at the news.

"Very Good, my boy." He turned his attention to the door where Timmy lingered.

"Ti'dramknock. Why do you linger so, boy? If you shall not present yourself, then you may leave." Shadow said with callous. Timmy shuffled his feet a little and stood strait, now beside his brother. Shadow cast a glare at the imperfect son and shined once more at Darcy.

"Now then, my son, You will travel to the White Plains and over take the Koryn villages. They are still a threat. Minor, but a threat none the less. When will you be ready to depart?"

"We have to pack new weapons and food rations, so a day or two at the latest." Darcy answered.

"Good boy. You two may leave."

"Sir," Darcy began, hesitating to leave. Shadow raised a brow at boy's gesture.

"Might I ask, The Dark Guards Program…"

"What about it, Darcy?"

"It's a failure ready to happen, you know that, right?"

"Darcy, don't you trust my judgment?"

"Well, in all due respect, when you're scared you tend to lose sight of the little things…." Darcy trailed off, his nerves wrecking.

"What 'little things' am I missing, Darcy? Hmm?" Shadow asked Dangerously. Darcy backed away from his question immediately, sensing the firm boundary the man had set. Timmy, however, didn't catch on to the building tension and continued for his brother.

"The chance that the experiment could go wrong. There's no way those two kids are gonna stay loyal to you. There's no way they'll be loyal in the first place!" Darcy glared at his brother's naiveté of the situation and Timmy suddenly caught on. By then, however, Shadow's eyes had grown dark with anger.

"You speak mutiny, Boy. One more word from you and you'll be chained to the wall and fed to the dogs. Now out, the both of you!" the old man spat and the boys darted from the room.

Shadow leaned back in his chair with a sigh. The thought that the two sons he created from chemistry were turning against him was heavy on his mind. He was determined, however, to ignore the warnings Darcy and Timmy gave. He was determined that Projects Sebek and Menhit would work successfully.

'_Granted, there may be a few glitches in the system, but it's nothing some work and re-wiring can't fix. If they are uncooperative, it's either discipline or death for them both.'_ He fondled Karakin's gold pendant in his hand absently.

'_Perhaps I should be rid of Sonya…. She is distracting my projects too much. The girl is consistently worrying over her and the boy can't concentrate on his work. We shall see….'_ Standing, Shadow walked to his window, pendant in hand.

"I wonder… Karakin and Tojima are in the castle; in fact they are in possession of the digidestined…. Perhaps the pendant is what they're after? I understand Karakin's life depends on this artifact… Then I'd imagine her connection with the girl grants her the same fate. Were this destroyed, they would both die. Are Tojima and the boy protecting them? Or killing them…?" Shadow continued to ponder to himself and his mind continued to wander back and forth among absent matters.

'_Perhaps this is a gift of control from the Dark Lord. Just as I prayed for…. This shall keep those cowardly rodents loyal to me!' _ A knock at the door threw Shadow from his thoughts and he quickly grabbed a silver blade from his belt for defense.

"My lord, it is Megara." Came a rough voice form behind the doors. Shadow recognized the voice as one of his guards and permitted the doors to open. Megara walked in, hair swishing behind her. Her fragrant perfume perforated from her shoulders, intoxicating the air around the two.

"What is it Megara? I am busy thinking." Shadow questioned.

"Yes milord…. The digidestined. They have attacked me milord. They show signs of aggression, as if they are planning. I think now is a very good time to finish them all off. Before they escape and turn against us." Said Megara.

"And how do you propose they would exit the castle? Not without one of my guards shredding them to pieces?"

"I'm not sure… but, I think it's too dangerous. They should have been killed once captured…."

"Silence! You will not judge my decisions! I chose for them to live to serve under me as humiliation for their alliance against me. As their punishment! They witness their friends suffer and eventually die and each would be left alone in some dark corner of the castle. I planned their survival to the very position given them. Why should I worry about them now either way, since you surely have them in storage?" Shadow lectured.

Megara swallowed, fear growing in her mind and heart.

"I never meant to question you milord. I apologize. I was simply looking out for your well-being." Shadow slapped the woman across the face with the flat of his blade, causing a gash to form across her face from the point.

"My well being is my concern young woman. Knees!" he shouted. Megara complied loyally, cradling her face where her blood began to seep.

"Now then, are the cages secured? Keys locked up tight? Guards at every post?" Shadow inquired as he replaced the weapon.

"Yes sir. There is a dog on every door, inside and out… and there is no way the cells can be escaped…. I was careful, milord. I did my best, I really did." Megara answered in a begging tone. She pressed herself against his legs as she spoke and her knees began to cut and blister from the hard floor.

"The digidestined have no means of removal from the cages then?"

Megara shook her head, assurance in her face.

"Then why are you worried?" The woman was silent from the answer for a moment, and then looked at him once more.

"The little Pixie, Starlynn. When I captured her, she was rattling about a Forest Army advancing for the digidestined. They were going to lead the creatures into battle against you milord. I wanted to stop them…." She said, her voice weak and whimpering. Shadow nodded his head with the news as he bore down at the submissive woman at his belt.

"Proceed…." He said and Megara reluctantly began to undo his belt and pants.

"Now then, Megara…. How do you feel?" The woman whimpered a little from the floor, but nodded her head.

"Good, who is your master?"

Megara looked at him from her 'work' and answered "You, milord."

"What will you do about the digidestined?"

"…whatever it is you say…." She murmured.

"What was that woman? I cannot hear you." Shadow asked harshly. Megara recoiled a little with the words, and he slapped her once more.

"Whatever you want, milord! Whatever you want, milord! Whatever you want…." And she continued quickly, as if working faster would make him kinder toward her.

"That's right…. Now then, as for this pendant…. Is it safe to encase it I wonder? Well… certainly not. Even if the digidestined are trapped, Karakin or Tojima are still willful spirits…. They will try to steal it from the encasement…. They would probably succeed…." Shadow's thoughts broke off for a moment as he looked out the window to the dark grey sky. The faint image of the woman on her knees before the man tainted the glass, making him smirk. After several moments, he looked down at the dark haired woman.

"Have you felt your punishment, Megara?" he asked. Woman sat back and nodded, wiping her face with her wrists as tears formed in her eyes.

"Leave me. I must be alone." Shadow ordered and Megara backed away and ran out the door, the tears falling on her shoulders and hair.

'_Disciplinary actions must be called for… The members of this family must remain firmly in their places….'_ He looked at the pendant again and quickly forgot the trauma given to the weeping woman in the hall.

'_No… I'll keep it on my person….'_

_---_

(ten minutes earlier)

Davis and Sonya tip-toed through the echoing stone halls to the upper sections of the Castle.

"Megara's room is up top by Shadow's…. I'm not sure whether she's there or not." Sonya whispered.

"Does she have some kooky schedule or something to time her by?" Davis asked, almost goofily. Sonya shook her head.

"Well, maybe we'll be lucky and the 'Cagemaster' will be out sucking dick…." Davis said bitterly as they continued.

"Davis." Sonya whispered disapprovingly.

"What? I don't like her one bit." Davis defended.

"Language, Davis…." Sonya smiled. The pair traversed through halls, passed dog solders and strange tapestries and figures. Davis felt as though the eyes on the tapestries were following his movements. He could see them move in the corner of his vision, but when he looked, they remained firmly in place on the cloth. Davis felt on edge and wanted to cling to Sonya, to protect her from the watching eyes, but she seemed unfazed by the ordeal.

"Sonya… did you see that?" Davis whispered after seeing a cherub decoration flutter its wings and giggle into its hands. Sonya looked at the still figure, then at Davis.

"See what?" She answered.

"That thing on the wall…. It just moved." Davis trailed off, realizing his imagination must have been running active. They reached the fifth level and the colors began to grow more and more vibrant.

"Huh…Shadow sure knows how to decorate…. Talk about Rhapsody in Red…." Davis said.

"Shadow likes red. He says it's the color of regality. He says there's nothing better to suit him…." Sonya said with crossed arms. She ran her hand along the red decorated walls and over the figures and paintings. "We're almost there I think." She murmured to the brunette and they returned to their travel. Davis noticed more movement behind him and turned, but again figured the growing flora on the wall from Sonya's touch was a work of imagination. Davis followed Sonya further into the maze of halls and up many flights of stairs until they stopped at a chestnut doorway.

"Is she in there?" he asked after a moment. Sonya shrugged lightly, fearfully.

"I hardly see her leave unless she's on assignment, and I don't know if she's is or not…." She whispered. A sound echoed from within the room. Footsteps made their way to the door, panicking the teens to hide behind a suit of armor beside the door. There was a short silence in which the pair held their breath for fear of exposure. The door creaked open and a snout appeared near the floor. Sniffing through the door, the creature emerged as a German Shepard, alert, ears pointed, eyes sharp. He growled as he neared the armor.

"Anything, dog?" came an irritated voice from the doorway. The dog reached Sonya's feet and snarled. Sonya shivered and put a finger to her lips, hoping the dog wouldn't blow their cover. The Shepard's ears twitched as he looked up at the girl and he turned and retreated to the door. He shook his mane, as if to inform the resident that no on e was in the corridor.

"Good. Took you long enough." Said Megara as she pushed passed the canine and down the red halls.

Davis and Sonya stepped carefully from their hiding place and turned their attention to the dog.

"Thanks for not telling." Sonya said, clasping her hands together. Davis blinked at the animal, baffled by its apparent smirk. The dog shook its mane again and trotted off into the dark hall.

"Uh… Sonya?" Davis began.

"I'm not sure. Megara has a habit of keeping animals in her room…." They pushed the heavy chestnut door to a cold, dark chamber of stone. Sonya lit the candle on the stand beside the door, lighting the walls of the room. The neatly folded covers on the bed and the silhouette portraits on the walls gave the room a serene feel, and the light of the moon shone through the glass of the window hauntingly. Plants and cages lined the walls of the room protectively, as their own wall of animal and floral defense. Animals of odd designs rattled in their cages, growling, snarling, whining with fear. Davis looked around the room alertly, but his gaze was broken by Sonya tapping his shoulder. He looked at her and found her gazing upward to the high ceiling. Following her stare, he saw no ceiling, but a thousand keys hanging on strings from the dark above. The keys were of all shapes and color; rusted, old, new, dingy, shining, large, small.

"Which one goes to the Dungeons?" Davis wondered aloud with frustration. Sonya answered with silence as she tried to guess at which key to use. She reached up to touch a key, but stopped short.

"What is it, Sonya?" Davis inquired.

"Look up. In the darkness. Do you see that?" Sonya pointed. Peering up into the darkness, he saw a dim form behind the keys, much like a lever.

"These are all trapped.... If we pull on it, I'm not sure...." Sonya uttered.

"Dammit!" Davis pulled his hair. "How are we supposed to figure this out? The keys are booby trapped, and evern still there are HUNDREDS of them! How do we know what to look for?"

Sonya touched her chin in thought.

"Well... The dungeon keys are old... and Large...." She said.

"Okay... that's something." Davis said, narrowing the key traits in his vision.

"And I believe they're issued as hearts.... Key of Hearts...."

"A heart shape? Why?"

"Shadow intended to trap a person's heart in the cages.... Something like that."

"Big heart shaped old key. Okay then, where would it be?" Davis wondered to himself.

A moment of strained searching led the pair to frustration.

"We must hurry, Megara may be back soon!" Sonya sighed.

'She's right. We don't have any time for this, we have to find the damned key! Key, Key, Where is...?' Davis thought, until an unusual glint shone in his eyes. He scanned for the light and found it again. High up in the brass masses, he found a key with a handle shaped like a heart. It was old and gray, the red rust crumbling from it as it hung in suspension. Davis's face lit up.

"I found it!" he exclaimed.

Sonya looked where his eyes were averted and smiled.

"Good, Davis! Now... How do we get it down?"

Davis looked all around the room for something to reach the key and found a foot stool. Pulling the stool under the key, he stood and tried to reach, but to no avail. Keys swished around his hand as he shook and tried to grab the dungeon key, tugging lightly at the levers above them.

"Sonya, I can't reach. Climb on my shoulders." Davis said.

"What? No!" Sonya said,, holding her hands to her chest with fear.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall." Davis extended his and and Sonya took it reluctantly.

"I have a bad feeling about this...." she breathed. She climbed on Davis's broad shoulder, lifting her up into the forest of keys. She extended her hand to the Dungeon key, finding it to be the highest to reach, and grabbed hold of it. Aware of the lever above her, she gently unhooked the key, so as not to pull the contraption, and slowly lowered herself.

"We got it." She said.

"Great! Now let's go!" Davis said excitedly and let Sonya off from his shoulders. A loud snapping noise was heard, causing both teens to stop with fear. Another snap, then another and another, gaining in momentum. They looked up at the lever and found it lifting from the relief of the weight. It snapped in place at the ceiling and a section of the wall beside them began to shift. Davis grabbed Sonya and pulled her out of the room, not ready top find out what they've unleashed, and they flew down the halls.

Howling, moaning, and screaming was heard from behind them followed by the atrocious rattle of the stones of the halls as the teens ran. Fear clutched their hearts, making them move faster.

Looking behind him briefly, Davis turned quickly back around at the sight of the decayed flesh of the rotting, possibly dead, animals chasing them.

'Awe Shit!' He thought and pulled Sonya to a sudden turn and ran into a closet in their attempt to outwit the animals. A rush of sound passed the pair, then a short moment of silence. They peered out of the closet and the animals rushed them from the corner once more.

"We have to get out of here! Those things will kill us!" Sonya shouted.

"Where are the others?" Davis exclaimed.

"The Fifth level! We can take the dumbwaiter in the hall below us!" Sonya shouted as breath began to leave her.

The creatures behind ran quickly like wolves. Their snouts were torn and pressed back against their faces, their bones were apparent, their teeth were iron. White eyes shown through the small sockets on their heads and their rib cages rattled loosely as they ran. Flesh and muscle dripped from their bodies, threatening to fall to the ground. The smell was that of a rotting corpse for each, and their speed was horrific. Davis's heart tried to fail him, but he continued running for his sake and Sonya's.

'We have to get the hell out of here! I have to get Sonya to safety!' He thought over and over. They jumped down the stairs, taking two and three at a time until they reached the next floor below. Sonya pulled Davis to the wall to their left and tore a picture from the wall to reveal a small wood door. Pulling it open, Davis and Sonya crawled in and slammed the door shut and began tier journey downward.

They breathed heavily, sweating and tired. Tears escaped Sonya's eyes, but she wiped them away swiftly, finding no time for fear.

They were safe, for the moment. Davis put an arm around SOnya's shoulders and looked down at his hands. The key was still securely in his grip and breathed a sigh of relief.

They would get out. He would be sure of it.

---

"Oh, Ven this is too much fun!" Shante cackled sickeningly. Ven grabbed the woman at the waist and dragged her to his lips.

"I say we celebrate." He said deviously. Throwing the woman onto a dirty table, he began to despoil her body, sending shocks of pleasure through her spine.

Yolie looked like she was going to be sick and turned away. Ken felt his rage grow higher and higher at their sexual idiocy.

A bell sounded hauntingly through the dungeons, causing the pair to snap their heads toward the sound. Shante groaned with distaste and jumped off the table.

"Come Ven, let's see what Megara wants." The sick couple left and locked the wooden door behind them. Ken, seeing this as an opportunity, began to struggle hard against the binding chains.

'_This is my only shot. I have to get this now or we may never have another chance!'_

He felt the chains strain and loosen as he pulled and fought. Yolie watched with tired eyes, curious and hopeful.

'_One more time…. This should do it.' _Ken lifted and gave a cry of strength and suddenly, his wrists were free. He looked in shock at the broken chains hanging dead from his wrists. He stood and began to work on his feet. The chains were easy to pull now and he was soon free. He rushed to his lover and began to untie her from the wheel.

"Ken, how did you…?" she started, but Ken hushed her with a finger to her lips.

"There's no time, we have to leave now." he turned, looking for resources and a way out. He stopped and examined the barred window above their heads for a moment. Yolie followed his gaze and sighed.

"We can't fit through the bars Ken…."

"We can't get out through here. Maybe the door?" he muttered and pulled the girl to the door.

He took Yolie by the hand and led her to the door. He examined the lock, the latch, and the window which revealed the hall.

"Ken, there's no other way out, what do we do?" Yolie inquired nervously.

"I don't know… I'm working on it." He answered, feeling nervousness shroud his mind. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the cold feeling growing his heart and he began to search for a way to pry the door open. Yolie looked passed the bars of the door and gasped.

"Ken! Someone's coming!" she whispered.

The pair hid behind the table, hearts beating quickly and fearfully.

The door was unlocked and opened and Davis and Sonya walked in.

"Ken, Yolie, Cody! Where are you?" He called upon seeing no one there. Ken and Yolie stood quickly from their hiding spot.

"Davis! What are you doing here? How did you get a key?" Ken asked.

"No time. We're getting out of here." Davis rushed, pulling the two out of the room. The three stopped, however, when their eyes lay on Cody's dismembered body on the far table.

"Should we bring him?" Yolie wondered aloud.

"We can't." said Ken sadly. He pushed Yolie along, whispering apologies to his heart-broken lover. Yolie refused to leave her young friend behind, but the boys finally dragged her away from the dungeons. Sonya put a hand on the girl's shoulder in empathy.

"It's time to say goodbye, Yolie…. We have to leave." Ken whispered into her ears. Tears flowed from the violet-haired girl's eyes as she tried to take her eyes from Cody's body, unwilling to believe in his death. She turned to the wall in hopelessness, letting the boys lug her through the halls.

"Do you have a plan, Davis? What are we doing?" Ken asked.

"The place where Sonya took us to release Starlynn. There're openings there. We can escape there." Davis answered.

"How?"

"…I'm not sure."

"Then how do we know we won't get caught?" Yolie inquired. "In case you've forgotten, that's where Shadow is. We won't be able to get by the guards." Suddenly, a small Blue Jay landed before them. It quirked it's head to and fro curiously, almost knowingly. It hopped away, leaving the trio to watch it curiously.

'_Birds are smart… you should listen to them some time….' _T.K's voice rang through Davis's head and a thought popped into his head.

"I think he wants us to follow him." He said and began to follow after the little bird.

"What makes you so sure about that?" Ken wondered with a quirked brow.

"It's just a feeling I have, I think we should follow it." Davis said with certainty.

Ken watched Davis for a moment and sighed.

"Davis, normally I'd call you an idiot. But considering the circumstances…." And they followed.

The bird fluttered up flights of stairs, waiting for the digidestined to catch up with him.

"Where is he taking us?" Asked Yolie.

"To the windows on the upper floor where we released Starlynn." Said Sonya, already knowing the plan.

"But, there're soldiers up there! Davis, how're we going to get past them?" Ken inquired.

"I don't know, but we have to find a way. This is our only chance." Davis said.

'_He's right. This is the shot we have…. We can't screw this one up.'_ Ken thought. He looked at Yolie and a new determination spread through his body like a wild fire. He would get Yolie out of the castle. He would ensure that she was safe. That was all that mattered then.

The Suits of armor that lined the halls turned and drew their swords. The digidestined halted with surprise, finding themselves surrounded. A low howl erupted behind them and the Doberman soldiers blocked the blows from the armor. They stood stunned for a moment until one of the dogs turned to them.

"Run you fools!" he growled, foam forming at his jaws. Davis snapped out of the daze, realizing what was going on.

_'T.K must've sent them to help us.'_

"Thanks!" he shouted as he dragged the others pass the battle.

"They're here to help us! We need to keep going!" he told them. Ken and Yolie pulled themselves out of their own daze and pursued Davis to the upper chambers. The Dogs soon caught up with the digidestined and followed the fluttering blue jay.

"Come on you little bastard! Stop playing around! He wants these kids out as fast as possible!" One of the dogs growled. The little bird seemed to laugh at the soldier's bitterness, but continued none-the-less.

Ken concentrated on the escape, focusing on Yolie's safety.

'_I need to get her out of here, whether it means my life, I don't care. She'll escape.'_

A Creature hiding behind a tapestry threw out its weapon, striking a dog in the neck and sending his head to the floor.

"Keep Going!" another Doberman yelled and fell behind to deal with the advancing enemy. The hall behind them began teaming with armor suits and several unusual creatures. Their skin was decayed, like ravenous, undead animals. They snarled and growled, sending shivers down the digidestined's spines. The brightly decorated Hall appeared before them and they rushed through the door, slamming the oak doors behind them. The hordes of guards banged and rattled at the doorway, causing it to convulse dangerously.

"Hurry, children. To the window!" The dogs shouted and they rushed to the shadows beyond the windows. A metallic clang echoed through the hallways and one of the Doberman's heads rolled to the ground. Another clang and the last were sawed in half. Ken, Davis and Yolie turned in shock to Shadow. He stood at his door, a sword in hand and blood spattered over his shirt.

"Digidestined. How nice of you to come and meet me." He turned his attention to the window where a dark flapping sound was heard. A black mass was seen in the dark sky and heading for the castle.

"Guys! This is our escape!" Davis whispered.

Ken nodded, now knowing what to do.

"What do you children plan to do once outside of the castle? Devise a new plan of attack? Perhaps catch me off guard? How tedious. That's exactly what the last group attempted."

The four stood rigid with fear, rage, and indecision. Should they stay and try to take him out there? Or retreat and devise a new attack plan? Shadow had made it clear he wasn't to be messed with, and he already anticipated their intended move.

"Stay here and I will reward you for your services to me." Shadow said.

"What? No way!" Davis shouted.

"Do you honestly think we'd stand by you and help you destroy the digital world? You're crazy!" Yolie added.

The humming outside grew louder and louder until they were at the window. The birds attacked the large glass, sending shards into the room and cutting those inside.

"Digidestined! Hurry!" An Eagle shouted. Davis and Sonya climbed onto their great backs. Ken Helped Yolie onto an Andacar's back and quickly proceeded to climb onto another creature. Shadow turned his attention to Ken and grinned, an evil glint showing in his eye.

"I mean it. I will reward you with gold and jewels. Power and superiority will be yours. Much like you once had, Ken Ichijoji."

Ken couldn't understand why, but he hesitated for a moment. He was shocked, How did Shadow know of his past? It disturbed him. However, he couldn't bring himself to deny that the temptation was great. He felt a power drawing him to Shadow, he felt as if he would cave.

"Ken!" Davis shouted from the flock.

"Ken! Come on!" Yolie called to him.

Yolie's voice severed the connection and he returned to the window.

"Shadow, you're a crazy bastard. If I were to stay, it'd only be to kill you."

The birds took them away from the dark Castle, leaving a laughing Shadow behind them.

"Thanks Ken." Said Yolie.

"For what?" Ken inquired.

"For not taking the offer."

Ken smiled at her lovingly.

"Yolie… I love you more than I hate Shadow. You come before everything." He held her close to him and kissed her head.

'_Would I have taken it?'_ he thought. He tried to understand why he hesitated, but he couldn't think of a reason. The power was torture, the grandeur was painful, the memories were too much. Why would he go back?

'…_Maybe….'_

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OMG! Sorry for the length everybody! I didn't mean for it to be so long. And again, I'm sorry for the awkwardness of the chapter.

**PLEASE READ**

**There is an interlude after this in which I shall reveal the cards and characters so far. All ideas are accepted. Before I post, I would like you send me a review or a message tell me what you think the cards represent. It doesn't really matter if your thought matches my post, because it's all open to interpretation. You may be more right than me! So please tell me what you think and why. **

See you next chapter!


	14. The Witch's Interlude

Whatever idea you might have had about the characters is completely open-ended. If you think they should be anything different, go ahead and tell me and why. I'll gladly listen, I may even change and incorporate it into the story.

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**INTERLUDE**

_How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously,  
so much torment and sorrow give her:  
for she saith in her heart,  
'**I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.'**_

---

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a huge sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

**These, the Four Riders, these, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse…**

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**The Fool –**_ Faith (Faith is blind and will lead to destruction, for 'leaders' of faith are corrupt)  
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**The Magician – **_Davis (individualism, one tracked mind, chooses and sticks with one action, spiritually flexible)  
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**The High Priestess – **_Yolie (Wisdom and seniority, ability to predict and to act)  
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**The Empress – **_Sora (Evolution of spirit and body, feminine growth and power over male dominance, motherly, seeks order)  
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**The Emperor – **_Jyou (Determination for safety and order, places self before danger for others, acts on reason)  
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**The Pope – **_Sonya (Compassionate ruler, Lead through servitude, Lover of all)  
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**The Lovers – **_Tojima (failure to commit, Love for beauty and Perfection, Speculative of self)  
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**The Chariot – **_Cats (Adventure, fearless of death, acceptance of change and what is to come, Overwhelming affection of family)__  
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**Justice – **_Cody (Righteous outlook, stands for beliefs, even into death)  
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**The Hermit – **_Matt (Frugality with Time, refusing to release his brother's hand to __the sands of the hourglass)  
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**The Wheel of Fortune – **_Gennai (Ability to look through all views, knowledge and ability to change one's destiny)  
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**Strength – **_Ken (A fallen ruler, once corrupted by power, pledges to humility and love)_

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See you next chapter_  
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	15. 12: Le Pendu: The Hanged Man

Okay, Sorry this took so long to update, I didn't mean to take so long, Honest! School, Work, and Soccer got in the way!

This chapter doesn't focus on T.K or Kari, but on the other Digidestined, so please bear with it!

Enjoy!

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"_Life, itself, is an instrument of Heaven; a horn played by the Angel it's been given. Played well, the Angel returns to God. Played badly, the Angel goes to Hell. Not played at all… I suppose not even a Holy Man would know where his soul truly goes after death…." __**Gennai – **_**Gate to the Realm of Darkness.**

**The Hanged Man: This card suggests life in suspension. Reversal of the mind in one's way of life. Transition. Abandonment. Renunciation. The change of life's forces. Sacrifice. Readjustment. Regeneration. Rebirth, Improvement. Efforts and sacrifices may be undertaken to succeed towards a goal which may not be reached.**

**---**

_How softly the snows fell on the desolate ground, the burned and hollowed buildings ravaged of life. The wind stirred the curtains in the shattered windows and the creaking of the broken lamp lights were the only sounds in the streets. It was so cold it was hot; the glass on the vehicles didn't know whether to frost or crack. So goes New York, and her once indomitable soul. So goes Chicago, and the land of Brotherly Love. So goes Vienna and Peru. Who next will fall before the consumption of the concrete walls? Who next will __**Fall**__?_

---

He wasn't sure what would happen then. Of all the adventures he had had with his friends, they always escaped. They always returned… they were always successful. Now, Tai stood alone on the dark hill, the trees surrounding him and the stars giving an eerie glow. He wasn't sure how to feel. Should he feel scared? Should he feel angry? At that point, he simply didn't feel safe.

Sora stood at the base of the hill behind him. She watched him stand in silence as he tried to reiterate their situation. Jyou, Izzy, Mimi, and Matt sat separated, not looking at each other. Fear crept up their spines and froze their hearts; would this not end in their advantage? In the silence, Izzy looked around, a heavy weight in his heart.

'_Something isn't right… It's not Jyou or Sora…. It's not even T.K or Kari…. Why does it feel like I know something terrible is on the way?'_

"Where are the wolves?" Matt wondered aloud."

"Never mind them, Where are we?" asked Mimi with a sigh of frustration.

"Grah! This stupid forest keeps turning us around no matter what direction we go! I don't know any of these constellations, the North Star isn't anywhere in sight…." Tai wrung his hair in his hands.

"Tai, it'll be alright…." Said Sora calmly, hands trembling.

"NO! That's just it, it won't be! You heard what that cat said. The odds of us getting out of this alive are almost zero to none." Tai sank to his knees, thoughts dwelling on the darkened memories of his sister. The digidestined, aware of his metal reference to his sister, stood respectfully.

"We know Tai. That's why you're our leader." Said Matt. Tai turned and looked at the blond with surprise.

"Because you know that risk," Said Izzy. "You're willing to threaten the odds, and that's what has gotten us out of every tough scrape so far."

"You heard 'em." Said Sora with a smile. "Lead us out captain."

Tai gazed at his friends with marvel and gratitude, feeling their support lift him from the grass.

"You're right! We can still take this! Come on, I have a feeling that that star there will lead us out."

The group marched after their leader with renewed energy, only Izzy lagged in back.

'_It's still there. It's not the forest…. It's – wait….'_

"Rratcklyn…." He said aloud.

Mimi, noticing the man had stopped, looked at him with confusion.

"Did you say something Izzy?"

'_Of Course! The wolves were incredibly eager to gain the forest spirits as their allies…. Meaning they weren't aligned in the first place! If Rratcklyn was ever sided with the wolves, they would have mentioned him to us before! And if the Forest spirits are sided to Karakin, then that means that Rratcklyn is as well!' _Izzy thought, putting the pieces together. His heart sped and his head felt light and dizzy. Everything seemed so clear then, like a lifted fog.

"It's a trap!"

---

The wounded hearts of the digimon refused to heal as their memories continued to dwell on Gatomon. Patamon trailed above them in flight, his numb limbs heavy on his body. The face of his dead friend played in his mind over and over, her voice echoing darkly.

'_I'm of no use to anyone now. Please, just find Kari; keep her safe for me….'_

Her pain was in her worry for Kari.

'_What about T.K?'_ Patamon thought about his partner in the castle and whether his fate was as dim as his friend's.

"Are you alright, Patamon?" asked Biyomon.

Patamon shook his head in answer.

"You're worried about T.K aren't you? I know, I worry about Sora a lot. But it'll be okay. T.K is a big boy; he can take care of himself." Biyomon said cheerily, trying to ease her friend's tension.

"We said that to Gatomon, too…. Now she's dead and we have no idea what happened with Kari." Patamon said monotonously. Silence met his statement; they knew he was right. Fear settled in the Digimons' minds over their partners. Gabumon and Palmon looked at each other in disdain, Wormon stared ahead without a word, Tentomon, Veemon, Hawkmon, and Gomamon looked away from the hovering Digimon with sorrow. They traveled a little further into the dark woods when a sound echoed faintly through the trees.

"Hey, did you hear that?" Tentomon inquired.

"Hear what?" asked Gomamon with confusion, not seeing or hearing anything outside of the group.

"It sounded like a voice." Tentomonm said, straining his ears to the sound.

"I didn't hear a thing." Hawkmon mumbled as he tried to listen. They sat quietly for a moment, and the sound came again.

"I knew it! It's this way!" Tentomon flew swiftly to the right, followed closely by the other Digimon. The sound grew louder and louder as they traveled through the trees.

"What are you talking about Izzy? Rratcklyn is fighting for us, we can't afford to be skeptical." Came Tai's voice through the green thickness.

"I'm telling you, there's something not right." Izzy's voice carried over Tai's in a sense of worry and knowing. Tentomon felt electricity run through his wings and heart. How he had missed his dear friend and how he worried about him. Now he could hear he was safe, sending great relief through the Digimon's mind.

"IZZY!" He shouted through the trees. He could see the red-head's figure as he flew. Izzy spun around to the voice and saw the digimon fly at him with tremendous speed.

"Tentomon!" he cried out with joy. The partners embraced with zeal, sending Izzy to the ground.

"Are you okay, Izzy?" The insect-digimon asked.

"I am, now that you're here." The man said. The digidestined looked up at the following creatures with joy and relief.

"Oh God! Gabumon, I missed you so much!" Matt cried into the digimon's fur.

"Ah, Shucks, Matt." The digimon blushed.

"Palmon! It's been so horrible without you!" Mimi sobbed, causing the digimon stroke her air comfortingly. Jyou and Sora acted similarly, holding their partners close, never wanting to let them go. Only Tai stood apart from them, wishing for the warm touch of his fiery friend to come, but only cold met his hands.

'_They'll always be cold, now….'_ He thought grimly.

"Are they still in the castle?" Wormon asked Tai, shaking him out of his thoughts. He nodded, making the Digimon droop with disappointment and fear.

"It's alright, Wormon. We'll get them out. Just you see." The leader tried to console.

"I say, have you been able to get anyone in on our fight?" Hawkmon asked.

"Yeah, the Wolves are fighting for us. And so is the Forest." Tai answered, looking at Izzy as he finished.

"No, they're not. I know it." Izzy said, rising from the leafy ground.

"Izzy, the Forest Army is probably the largest army we can find, and we have them with us. We can't –" Matt started, but Izzy quickly interjected.

"I know how I feel about this, and I know what you think, but I also know I'm right."

"Tai, I can't help but feel a little nervous about this, too." said Sora, holding Biyomon like a doll. "I don't know what it is, but something just doesn't settle well with me."

"Not you, too, Sora." Tai sighed.

"I'm serious, Tai…. I think Izzy is right about this." Sora said with tension. Just then, a loud screech was heard through the canopy of the trees. The group looked around for the source of the sound to find the large Golden Griffin circling the air over their heads. Shante rode on his back, cackling like a hyena.

"Hello sweeties!" She called maliciously.

"Shante! What do you want?"

"Aren't you happy to see me? I'm certainly happy to see you." Shante landed on the forest floor with a soft thud as the Gryphon glided behind her. "Well, considering I just lost my other 'dolls'…."

"Dolls…?" Patamon muttered nervously.

"Oh you're little friends are such fun! But now I want another toy." Shante grinned as she strode toward Matt.

"My, you're pretty." She moaned playfully.

"You make me sick! Gabumon, digivolve!" Matt shouted angrily, and his partner complied. Sora and Mimi followed closely behind and their digimon evolved into their Champion forms. The light dissipated and the rejuvenated creatures stood ready to fight. Just as the rest were about to evolve, Ven lifted his head and gave a horrendous scream. The sound pierced through the trees like an arrow and echoed off the mountains. A short silence followed with confusion from the Digidestined, but soon the earth rumbled. Through the darkness of the thick trees came large, red skinned monsters carrying picks and hammers. Their large teeth combed out of their lip like a bulldog's and their brown eyes glared hungrily. Above them flew swarms of fiery red Pixies, much like Starlynn. Their fur was red and their wings were black and they laughed simultaneously as the trees parted for another creature. Behind the Digidestined came man-horses, large and black with the body of a Clydesdale and torso of a valiant warrior. Their hair was flowing about their shoulders and their bows and arrows looked long and vicious in their massive hands.

"Mountain warriors…." Gomamon gasped as the creatures assembled around them. The monsters dashed toward the Digidestined with weapons swinging. The Trolls attacked Garurumon and Matt, the Pixies flew into Togamon and the Avila charged Sora and Birdramon.---

The fight was on.

"Togamon!" Mimi screamed as the swarms of insects attacked her partner and throwing spits of flame at her. Togamon hit back and struggled among the small creatures, but her slow limbs could not reach them quickly enough. Garurumon took a troll in his jaws and shook his head violently, tearing the Trolls arms from his body, but three more stood in it's place and hacked at the digimon with their picks and hammers. A pick struck Garaurumon's back leg, making him crumple to the ground with the pain. Birdramon circled and fired at the Avila, singing and mortally burning several of the horse-men, but they were fast and dodged most of her attacks. The streams of arrows soared at her, pressuring her to fly back against a rock wall. The arrows pinned the bird and the Avila proceeded to stampede at her.

"Birdramon!"

"Garurumon!"

"Togamon!"

The others stood by, but only for a stricken moment. Izzy and Jyou looked to their partners and readied themselves to digivolve and help, but the Pixies saw this and a smaller horde flew at the group with fiery speed. They ripped the feathers from Hawkmon's wings, shredded Patamon's ears, and tore Gomamon's eye and tail from his body while Veemon, Tentomon, and Wormon were dragged around the trees and thrown at each other by the creatures as sport. The Digidestiend tried to fight them off, but with little success. The little creatures threw flames at the adults, catching Jyou's sleeves and Izzy's cuffs on fire. Meanwhile, the trolls gained the upper hand on Garurumon and bashed his head in with a hammer. More pixies swarmed to the wolf and began to feast on him like piranhas. Matt and Tai tried to fight them away, but the pixies assaulted them as well. Matt covered Garurumon's face as the pixies crowded the air, suffocating them to where they were breathing fire. The insects bit at and tore Matt's left arm to shreds, causing it to break off at the elbow. He gave a horrendous scream at the pain, but the creatures didn't stop. They tore away at his stomach, thighs, and face. Tai came to his friend's rescue and covered him with his jacket, causing the pixies to assail him instead.

"Meteor Wing!" Birdramon cried in attempt to throw the Avila back. Her attempt was a success and she flew away from the scene with Sora on her back.

"Sora! We're outmatched here! We need reinforcements!" the bird screeched.

"I know! But who? There's nobody around to even hear us!" Sora responded helplessly. At that moment, an arrow pierced Sora's side. She hardly noticed, and she was shocked that there was no pain at first. More arrows were slung at the pair, bringing the digimon down once again. Birdramon and Sora fell hard to the ground, making the leaves on the trees shake. The Avila then dashed at them and began to trample the pair into the dirt.

Shante and Ven stood back on a boulder and watched the 'festivities' with merriment. They grinned, laughed, and cheered on the creatures as they slowly demolished the Digidestined.

'_Please, somebody help us….'_ Sora thought miserably before she blacked out.

---

The dark skies illuminated the bright ground eerily as the young Digidestined flew over the land. The birds that carried them screeched, squawked, and chirped at each other in conversation, ignorant to the pains of the humans they carried on their backs. The Teens were silent, staring ahead and reflecting painfully on the events in the castle. Yolie looked down, then back ahead of her with a sigh.

"This was a stupid plan." She said. The others looked at her quietly.

"We didn't accomplish anything by just running in there! We lost more than we gained! We lost Cody!" She said and began to sob.

"We didn't completely fail…." Davis assured. Yolie looked up with teary eyes.

"We got Sonya."

Nobody answered. Davis could feel Sonya grow warmer under his touch and he smiled half-heartedly.

"Children, we have been instructed to bring you to Sheba. There is word that she has formed a movement against the Blood Harvesters and will progress soon." Said an Eagle beside the grieving teens.

"Why does she want us?" Ken inquired.

"She has determined that you are the most worthy to fight in our army. You have the most power and influence. We can use that to defeat Shadow and Karakin." The eagle responded.

Yolie shook her head, unable to speak.

"What is that, my dear?" The Eagle asked, seeing her action.

"I can't do it." She said shakily. "We already lost Cody, we can't risk it again! We don't even have a plan! Even if we did, Shadow's anticipated everything we've done and will do! What's the point?"

"Ah, but what he doesn't expect is the young master to tear him apart from the inside out." The bird smiled.

The digidesined looked at each other with confusion.

'_But they're prisoners… aren't they? What if… this was their plan the whole time?'_ Davis wondered to himself. Looking at the others' faces, he knew they figured the same.

---

The fight grew bloody as the Avila crushed Birdramon into the dirt. Izzy yelled to Tentomon to digivolve through the swarm of Pixies and Tentomon complied. A burning light surrounded the digimon, disintegrating the insects around him. Kabutarimon stood among the masses of fiery creatures and he summoned the static to his fingertips.

"Electro SHOCKER!" He shouted with all his might; and the pixies shook with the electricity of the attack. The Pixies dropped dead and twitching, and the tables were turned. Patamon and Hawkmon, shaking, got up and stood beside Veemon and Wormon. They darted out into the fray and attacked with all their strength. Veemon and Wormon jumped into the Trolls as they pummeled Garurumon. The trolls turned and swiped at the digimon, but they dodged the attacks and they bit and clawed at the creatures. The Trolls tried again and again, but they could not touch the smaller creatures. Frustrated, the monsters ran after the digimon, screaming and hollering. Meanwhile, Hawkmon and Patamon ran to Birdramon's aid and threw attack after attack at the Avila. Momentarily distracted, the creatures turned to the little digimon and saw their injuries. They laughed and several stomped after them. Evading the hooves, Patamon threw a 'Boom Bubble' at an Avila, hitting him square in the face. He reared back with rage and hit another Avila in the head, sending him to the ground. The fallen Avila, in turn, collapsed on another Man-horse and took him down as well. Patamon and Hawkmon, though quickly growing tired, laughed at the domino effect. The Avila were now completely distracted and ran after the little digimon. Birdramon saw this and rose from the ground and returned to the sky. Togamon and Garurumon, now saved from the brutal attacks, stood shakily and returned to the fight. Veemon and Wormon dodged and avoided every attack made by the Trolls, causing them to unwittingly hit each other and smashing their skulls. The Avila attempted to shoot down Togamon and Birdramon once again, but were too aggravated to concentrate.

"Meteor Wing!" Birdramon shouted and the fire swept over the Horsemen, setting their fur and flesh aflame.

Togamon added her 'Needle Spray' to the fire, forcing the Horse-men to kneel to the ground with pain. They were quickly burnt with the flames.

Soon, the field was left with only the Digidestined, the injured digimon, and the blood. Confident and confused, the Digidestined looked around the field for Shante and Ven, but neither was in sight. Silence met their heavy breathing, not even the birds rang out in the trees. A leaf fell from a tree, catching Tai's eye, Then a an arrow shot through the air and into the group.

A small burst of surprise came from the Digidestined and, turning to see where the arrow shot, they found Gomamon bleeding on the ground. The Arrow protruded through his heart and pulsated with the dying muscle.  
"Gomamon! No!" Jyou screamed in horror. Another flew from the trees and struck Mimi in the leg.

"Mimi!" Sora went to the girl's aid as she fell to the ground with the pain of the arrow.

"They're coming from all around us." Matt said, struggling with his words as his vision grew hazy with the loss of blood. Another arrow shot into the group, then another, and another. The arrows missed, but the Digidestined were on high alert. Laughter was heard through the forest from the shooters.

"Shante! Ven! You miserable bastards!" Tai shouted furiously into the foliage. Several more arrows shot at the Digidestined from front and back, and they worked to dodge them. Patamon was struck in the shoulder, but he forced himself to stay in the air, ignoring the pain. Most of the arrow struck Kabutarimon in the chest, leg, and throat. His strength gave out form exhaustion and pain and he de-digivolved into Tentomon. Izzy ran to the digimon, rickety with fear and worry.

"Tentomon! Are you okay?" he trembled.

"Izzy…I…." but the digimon couldn't finish. He let out a final sigh of breath and fell loose in Izzy's arms.

"T-Tentomon…?" Izzy shook horribly, the holding the cold digimon in his hands. Behind him, he heard Jyou screaming for Gomamon, and he knew he was gone as well. The digimon disappeared in their arms. A cold silence followed, time seemed to stop, and something happened in Izzy's mind that he couldn't quite understand. A click, or a snap, a wheel stopped turning or spun much faster. He grew cold, he couldn't feel his body under his head, his heart slowed horribly, but then sped to a great rate. He didn't understand, but he care to understand…. Izzy's sight went red. He heard vicious laughter from the forest and turned to the source. In a voice that was almost not his, he growled like a rabid animal, his eyes crazed and ready for blood. "You son of a bitch!" and he dashed into the foliage after the pair.

"Izzy, NO!" the group yelled to him, but Izzy did not listen. He found Shante running ahead of him, jumping in the trees and over the bushes. He ran faster and not recalling running so fast in his life. Dodging the bushes and trees was nothing to him as his heart thumped angrily in his chest.

'_You came to this world to take over and destroy it.' _He ducked a branch, unfailing in his chase.

'_You made the lives of the digimon and other migrants miserable and unbearable.'_ The trees seemed to move out of his way in his speed.

'_You threatened my friends and you killed Tentomon.'_ He was gaining on the girl.

'_You can beg for mercy all you want, you're not going to fucking get it!'_

---

The air was suddenly and bitterly cold. Sonya shivered and she saw her breath. She down, the forest washed beneath them like a green ocean. It was beautiful to her, the frost was beginning to settle on the trees and a thin fog layered under the canopy. Through the holes in the canopy, she caught a glimpse of a red blur. She blinked and looked again. Through a larger hole in the canopy, she saw Shante dash through the brush and Izzy in close pursuit. She gasped and turned to the Digidestined.

"It's Izzy!" she said.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Yolie, frustrated and tired.

"Running through the trees. He's chasing Shante!" Sonya informed. Yolie looked skeptically at her, then into the canopy.

"I don't see anything, Sonya." She muttered. Suddenly, she saw the pair in the brush, then disappear under the leaves once more.

"Oh!"

"Why is Izzy chasing Shante?" Davis wondered aloud in awe.

"I don't know, but this can't be good. Let's go down." Said Ken.

"We can't change course, kids." Said a bird from under them.

"This is an emergency! The others could be in trouble!" Davis protested.

"Sheba's orders." Another bird said firmly.

"What if you captured Shante or Ven? Surely that would please Sheba? They're down there as well." Sonya proposed. The birds looked at each other with tempt and agreed.

"Hold on!" And the birds took a sudden dive into the trees. They spiraled through the trunks and bushes, separating and reattaching as they soared. Before them, they saw the rest of the Digidestined chasing after Izzy and Shante.

"Tai!" Davis shouted, causing the man to turn as he ran.

"Gah!" he shouted with surprise as the birds swept the group onto their backs. The Digidestined looked at each other, shock and relief washing over them all. The digimon saw their partners and, in a joyous bound, leapt into their arms.

"Davis, Ken, Yolie!" Sora shouted with surprise. "How did you escape?"

"The birds saved us." Sonya answered.

"What's going on?" Ken inquired.

"Tentomon and Gomamon are dead. Mimi, Matt and Patamon are hurt real bad…. Izzy just lost it and chased after Shante." Wormon informed.

"We have to help, they'll kill him!" said Yolie.

"You heard 'em boy! Faster!" a Brown Eagle shouted and they picked up speed.

Izzy never grew tired as he ran. The closer he came to the blond, the more his adrenaline was pumped through his veins.

"Come on little boy! Can't you run faster than that?" Shante teased playfully. Izzy ground his teeth and sped faster.

"I'll tear your head off you fucking whore!" he bellowed.

"Oh, I'm so frightened!" Shante stuck her tongue out, infuriating Izzy all the more.

Ahead of them, Ven waited behind the trees, grinning excitedly for the chase. The trees began to thin and the inside of a canyon could be seen ahead. Davis looked on, and an image appeared before his eyes.

"_**I think we were transported here. Somehow." **_

"_**By who?" **_

"_**Who do you think?" **_

"_**Hey, hey. I'm not here to fight, I'm here to negotiate." **_

"_**No! You're just finding an excuse to keep us from stopping your movement here. When you're done, you'll move right into our world either way! No way will I let you do that!" **_

"_**Welcome to my Dark Canyon. Now disappear." **_

"_**T.K!" **_

"_**T.K, Why did you do that? You didn't have to pull me out of the way you know." **_

'_This is the Canyon where T.K saved me….'_

The others seemed to recognize it as well, for their eyes grew big with the familiarity of the sight. Izzy never stopped running, never stopped to think. Ven reached out from the tree in which he was hiding and grabbed Izzy by the collar, lifting him into the air. The Digidestined lost sight on him momentarily and looked into the trees where he was lifted. Izzy's screams could be heard throughout the canopy and the birds flew lower, away from the sound. Passing the trees completely, the Digidestined found themselves deep within the canyon, the sky was a grey line over their heads. The Canyon seemed massive; the forest in which they were previously in was on a small section and broke off a cliff where the Canyon fell ever further. The birds stopped as the edge came to view and the Digidestined stepped off. Shante was standing airborne a ways off the edge, grinning at the Digidestined.

"Glad you could make it!" She cackled. Izzy's shouts could still be heard, and the group looked over the woman's head to the source. High over their heads, Ven stood on a side-bent tree and held Izzy by his front collar. The red-head was struggling and tearing at the man's arm with all his might. Izzy seemed to still be in his rage, for he was shouting angry curses and threats at the pair.

"Izzy! It'll be okay! We'll get you out of there!" Jyou shouted, an ironic sense of hopeless in his heart.

"Don't count on it." Ven laughed and let go of the struggling boy. Izzy plummeted.

"Izzy!" The Digidestined screamed and time slowed to Davis's eyes. The flyer digimon dashed in the air in attempts to catch him, Shante and Ven grinned maliciously, and Davis caught a glimpse of something around the red-head's neck. Davis's eyes widened, knowing it was too late, and the others seemed to notice as well. As quickly as Izzy fell, he stopped. The rope around his neck pulled him into suspension, breaking his neck on impact. The strangled _'SNAP'_ could be heard from where he hung. Everyone's hearts stopped at the sight. The boy no longer struggled, a look of dead shock held his eyes. The Canyon's silence was broken by Shante and Ven's laughter.

"Consider this a warning to you! We'll be seeing you later!" and they disappeared in a cackling black cloud.

The clouds seemed to grow darker and the rain began to fall as they stood there, cold, sorrowful, and vengeful.

---

"_Shadow tried to commit me to his side; tried to bind me as his slave of war and lust. I refused, and my people suffered. Tojima fought, and he suffered as well. We were pitted against each other, nobody won. Do you see Shadow? Nobody has won, not even you. Even now, your empire crumbles, and you recoil so deep in your own vanity that you can't even see that your mirror has cracked. I am the fissure in the glass, and from my foundations others will merge until you have shattered into pieces. You can't even kill me…. I won't let you kill me…. Your hordes against the worlds are not your soldiers, but my family. My life, my heart, my soul, given to the Black Lord to smite you, to burn you, to purge your flesh and hang it upon the wall in the Halls of Satan. You have something of mine…. I will not let you have it. You have someone of mine, I will not let you have her. Kari is mine, and mine alone. You can't even touch her. The world which you try to destroy, Kari's world, will not be yours. It is mine, always has been, and will be again, very soon. Do you see Shadow? You cannot defeat me. It's a flip of the coin. Heads I win, Tails you lose."_

_

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Again, sorry if you didn't find much interest in this chapter. I hope it was okay though, I couldn't think of anything else to put in here!

Please leave a review, It makes me happy, happiness makes me update faster. :D

lol, See you next Chapter.


	16. 13: La Mort: Death

Sorry about that y'all. I had finals, homework, and work. We're on break now, but I can't quite guarantee a quick update.... Every time I say that, I slow down.... huh.... Anyway, here's the next installation to Beast and the Harlot. Please forgive me if it's choppy and makes no sense!

The very beginning is one of our last glimpses at Lieko and Gayle. I recently ended my friendship with her, seriously, and it's still a little weird. But, it was for the best. So there's probably one or two more scenes, and they're gone.

Enjoy!!

* * *

"_They who walk through Andante…. Those who have once lived in light, reside in the Dark. He who was once kind is full of dispute, she who was full of love is filled with hate. He who was hope, she who was light, now falls into despair and hatred. He who has fallen behind and she who has moved forth. He who is life and she who is death."_ **Excerpt from **_**Book of the Black King **_**– Realm of Darkness.**

**Death – This Card suggests clearing the way for transformation. Alteration. Sudden Change. Great Change. Death of the Old Self, though not necessarily physical death. Loss. Failure. Mishap. Debacle. Disaster. Ruin. End. Death. The ending of a familiar situation or friendship. Loss of income or financial security. Beginning of a new era.**

---

The snows poured heavily on the quiet city as the darkness began to settle over the buildings. The lit lamps on the lonely sidewalks and the bright windows told a passerby that the city was still living, but only but so much. Several children played in the snow in the parks; the High Schoolers threw snowballs and tried to forget about the world for one more night. Their parents watched with small smiles and empty minds. Odaiba was among the few of the visually untouched cities in the world's crisis. Among the children in the park were the friendly, but empty faces of Gayle and Lieko, who though regularly about their friends lost. Lieko watched the children play happily and longed to join in the fun. Her heart raced with excitement as she forgot everything and prepared a snowball to throw. Gayle stared at the moon rising in the sky, something missing from her winter-blue eyes. Her gaze was broken as a snowball hurdled past her face, barely grazing it. Gayle looked down at Lieko, who was giggling gleefully at her fun.

"Come on Gayle! Come play!" she called.

Gayle simply stared at her friend. She couldn't understand, but the feeling deep in her gut troubled her greatly. She began to feel utterly frustrated with her friend's lack of thought to the situation at hand.

"How could you play now?" Gayle asked meagerly.

"Gayle, we just want to forget this for now. Whatever's going on, we can't do anything about right now." Lieko said. "So, I just want to be a kid… for however long we have left…."

Gayle smiled at Lieko's response. "There you go sweetie. You keep thinking that." With that, Gayle stood and began to walk away.

"Gayle! Where are you going?" Lieko called, confused by her friend's action. Gayle never answered, she never turned around. She simply kept walking, ignoring Lieko's calls. In a moment, Gayle disappeared into the darkness. Lieko grew angry and saddened.

"Fine! Keep walking away! I thought you were my friend, but I guess I was fucking wrong! **Gayle**!" No use…. Lieko sat in the snow and pondered her friend's leave, but came to no answer and she began to cry.

From a distance, Nancy Takaishi watched the spectacle with sadness in her heart. She continued her trek through the bitter cold to her destination.

Meanwhile, in the small, cold apartment of the Kamiya residence, where Sandy paced furiously.

'_Where are they? What are they doing? Why haven't they fucking called? That girl is in SO much trouble when she gets back.' _Sandy though angrily.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she looked at the door with mild confusion and expectation.

'_That's probably her….'_ She thought as she went to open the door. She blinked with irritation when it was Nancy, not Kari, who was behind the door.

"Sandy, can I talk to you?" Nancy asked meekly.

"Listen, Nancy, I'm a little busy right now. Can this wait?" Sandy lied as she shut the door. Nancy put her foot in the way and entered the residence. Sandy sighed irritably.

"Sandy, I'm sorry, I'm just worried about T.K…." Nancy started. "Have you heard anything from Kari?"

"No, they probably ran off." Sandy growled, crossing her arms.

"But…Sandy, we talked about this! The only other place they could be is the Digital World or dead! And I don't want to believe the later!"

"Bullshit, that girl hasn't listened to me at all." Sandy muttered to herself.

"But Sandy! All of their friends are gone, too! If T.K and Kari ran off, where is everyone else? They have to be in the Digital World, they must be safe!"

"That girl has been a fucking thorn in my side ever since she was born! They're in **OUR** world, and probably throwing Jessica Alba sex jokes back and forth. I don't have time for this, I want you out! And don't you dare come back here." Sandy shouted and pushed Nancy out of the apartment. Nancy fell to her knees on the cold concrete, not comprehending her friend's lack of consideration. The snow fell on her shoulders lightly as she shivered in the streets, listening to the crashing sounds in the apartment behind her. Standing, Nancy staggered her way home, finding her knees bruised and her hands blue and frosted. She locked the door behind her and climbed on the island counter to the ceiling light and reached into the holder. She pulled out a red bottle of wine and opened it. Crying, she poured a glass and indulged herself.

---

"Alright, I got another one for you. If Jessica Alba came in here right now begging to give you a hand-job, would you take it?" Kari asked T.K as he threw the rubber ball against the wall, catching it over and over again.

"Jessica Alba? Fuck yeah."

"Why?"

"Because it's ALBA! You know how hot she is? Besides, what are the chances that she'd walk in here and do it anyway?"

"But what if she had AIDS?" Kari countered with a smile.

"I'd still take it, because it's a **hand-job**, not a **blow-job**." T.K grinned.

"Good point…." Kari laughed. Shadow watched the couple's merriment idly from the door behind them.

'_How wonderfully sickening….' _He thought bitterly and promptly cleared his throat, interrupting their play. They froze and looked at the man in the door.

"Yeah?" They asked in unison.

"The two of you have been through a number of tests… Many of them life threatening. They told me you may not have survived." Shadow stopped as he analyzed the teens. "But look at you. Playing, healthy, strong… I think it's time to complete your circuit."

T.K caught the ball and stopped.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait… What do you mean 'complete our circuit?' Are we done?"

"Almost. We have one more test for you to perform." Shadow answered, and with a snap of his fingers a pair of researchers stood behind him.

Kari's face contorted into a look of annoyance.

"What? Awe, Hell no!" She protested indignantly.

"If you don't, then I'll have to assume your allegiance is falsified and will therefore have to dispose of you…." Shadow said simply and glanced over at T.K. "And your friends…."T.K's heart dropped as if the strings holding it were cut. Like coming out of a fog, T.K's sight sharpened on Shadow and his words and his thoughts flew to Kari and the others. This confused him, for this thoughts toward the Digidestined were once hostile, not caring.

'_What's going on?' _he wondered. The only expression he showed as the blink of his eyes.

Kari tensed at Shadow's threat and was ready to throttle the old man, but Karakin held her back_. 'Wait…'_ she whispered. _'Just wait….'_

The glint around Shadow's neck quelled Kari's actions and she backed down.

"Now then, these two gentlemen will take you to your designated rooms. Good Luck." Shadow smirked and walked out of the room, leaving the researchers with T.K and Kari.

"Come with us. This will be real quick, don't worry." Said one of the men to T.K.

"It'll be painless, Miss. Please come with me." The man said to Kari. The teens reluctantly obeyed and separated with the researchers.

T.K blinked rapidly as he felt his heart speed a little, then return to normal. He knew he was feeling his sister's heart, he knew she was nervous. Did she know what was happening? Was she alright? T.K looked through the windows of the castle as they passed, imagining Sonya safe in the forest or warm at home, though he knew there was little to support that thought.

---

Sonya stood solitary on the balcony of the canyon, listening to the silence that surrounded her. She thought about T.K and Kari and Shadow's plans.

'_They'll be finishing their experiment now….'_ She thought. _'And they don't even know if they'll live.'_ Sonya's eyes followed T.K's form through a corridor in her thoughts. She could feel his irritation, anger, and fear. She knew he was anxious of the outcome, and for a good reason: If he were gone, what would happen to Her? To Kari? To the others? Sonya was afraid, the nightmare she lived every day felt like it would awaken any moment, but it wouldn't stop. Her thoughts drifted to the brunette that accompanied her brother.

'_Those eyes. I still can't place it…. They're not hers, as if someone else was living in her body. Someone else is in her body…. But who?'_

'_Don't pry, little girl.' _Said a dark voice in her head suddenly, catching Sonya by surprise. _'She's mine, and no one will take her.'_

"I see… You must be Karakin. You're the one Shadow's after." Sonya spoke, seemingly to nobody. The voice didn't answer. "You're killing her, you know. If you don't leave, you'll be living in a rotting shell." Again the voice didn't answer. Sonya blinked slowly.

"I can't let you take her. She means too much to my brother."

'_What does it mean when a man says he loves a woman? They're only words, and words mean nothing. He is nothing to Kari, and I will see to it that she is aware of that.'_

"But you're wearing on her! Can't you see that? She's growing weaker and weaker, her body's aging too quickly! You'll be the death of her!"

'_No.'_

"But that's a Dierdre, right? They're always seeking revenge, and they take over someone else's body to do it? If that body dies, the Dierdre dies with it. Isn't that right, Karakin?"

The voice didn't return an answer.

"Of course, I know you. I remember now. Mother would tell me stories of you when I was a child. You died long ago, and you're still wandering restlessly…. I always thought you were just a myth. I suppose that myth is Kari's nightmare."

'_Silence. You know nothing, Myths and legends are often misinterpreted. And your perspective is grossly distorted. We will live on, and you will not tell the other children about me. Otherwise, I will kill you, and you will not see me at your throat, but Kari. Am I clear?'_

"As crystal…." Said Sonya, but she felt no fear of Karakin's words and she sighed contentedly as she felt the spirit leave her mind.

'_She went back. Kari, what have you gotten yourself into?' _Sonya thought, now understanding what was happening.

'_Karakin… She's a Dierdre…. A Deity of rage. Does Kari even know what she is? Dierdre's always change their vessels, has Kari changed? I can't help but think Karakin's anger has distorted Kari's mind, she's sick. What will she do? If the stories mother told me were true, then Karakin is after everything. Does that mean that Tojima is real? If he is, then he must be nearby.' _Sonya thought hard, feeling more and more anxious as the moments passed. _'If he is here, his vessel must be… T.K? Oh, Earth mother, if you can hear me… Protect my brother.'_

---

Shadow stood in a large circular room, a giant screen hovered on the wall before him showing the surveillance of two research facilities. Kari and T.K's stats showed on opposite screens.

"The subjects will now have jolts of electricity passed through their bodies and stimulate the chemicals into reaction." Shadow said, informing the researchers to begin the final process of the experiment. "Karakin and Tojima," he spoke to himself, "Your bodies will die and your souls will be mine once again. If this succeeds, it will still be to my benefit, a strong body and a strong soul, you will be the perfect soldiers. Then you will turn against your own homestead: Earth."

The scientists nervously input the data into their computers and the electricity began to charge.

"Sir… I must advise you of the dangers of this experiment…." Said the old researcher beside Shadow.

"You've told me this nonsense already, ." Shadow said irritably.

"I knew the moment I met with Sebek… Takeru, He is intelligent, So is Menhit. They will destroy you!" The old researcher was thrust against the wall by thew throat. Shadow glared at him, seething at his incompetence.

"And your job is to ensure that they don't! Strike on S-One!" he shouted and the switch was flipped for the voltage to pass. T.K's body twitched and convulsed in the tank, nearly causing some of the wires to tear from his skin.

"Please Sir, I beg of you…." The old man pleaded, "They're just children. You can't destroy them like this."

"I don't care." Shadow said and let go of the man. "Strike on M-Two!" and the current surged through Kari's veins, causing her to convulse as well.

"You've just signed your death warrant…." The researcher muttered.

"What was that, Mr. Walker?" Shadow's voice was dangerous now.

"You cannot go through this world unscathed, Sir." The researcher shouted. "They'll be your death!"

Shadow had had enough and he pulled his knife from his belt and slit the man's throat. The blood spilled on the cold metal floor, seeping downward to the other researchers' feet.

'_My creations won't leave me. Not this time.'_ Shadow thought with confidence as the experiments pursued on the screen. Shadow raised his hand a moment, then signaled for them to stop and the researchers flipped the switches, ceasing the flow of electricity. Everything was silent fro a moment before Shadow gave the final orders.

"Sir… are you sure about this?" Asked the female researcher hesitantly. No one looked at the man, or the old scientist on the floor, only at the computers.

"Of course. Proceed." Shadow answered.

"Initiating Silver based solution… Ready on your count, sir."

"Initiate."

The female researcher inserted a code into the computers, telling it to inject the liquid.

"We'll now combine the Silver solution with their bone tissue." Said one of the researchers.

'_Cats and Wolves are allergic to silver. Creating a vaccine and combining it with their bodies, I will have them conditioned. I can use this as punishment if they disobey. Granted it will make them harder, faster and stronger, it will also be their greatest weakness.'_

---

The forest was silent save for the discussions of war. Beneath the canopy, Gennai, Jahari, and Hyperion conveyed plans, thoughts, and ideas to each other over the battle against Shadow. Titus sat idly behind them, excluded from their discussions.

"There is word that Shadow has already progressed into another world, one called Earth. His colonies are massive, his armies unlimited. We're running out of options." Said Jahari. "Shadow can't be spared."

"Even if he's killed, he has skilled generals at his command who would take over." Hyperion argued. "I hear on the wind that Karakin is in his care again." Everyone looked at the old man behind the table. "She will take over his hordes and claim the worlds for her own. The inhabitants will fall at her feet. All but one."

"Tojima." Jahari concluded. "He's occupied T.K's body, hasn't he?"

"Yes. He's fooled his way through Shadow's lair, alongside Karakin…." Said Gennai.

There was a short silence between them and Jahari looked at the map of the territories on the oak table before him.

"This war has gone on long enough." He muttered. "We need the Digidestined…. Do we know where they are?"

"There's no way to be sure…. And Page and Chloe have vanished with them…." Said Hyperion. Gennai held his chin in thought.

"I know they went out looking for the Digidestined, and they told me they would update every few days, but I haven't gotten a note in two weeks…."

"Damn that Kai…." Murmured Titus behind the group. They turned and looked at the still-withering old man.

"What did you say?"

"Have you noticed Kai's lack of attendance in any of this?" Titus said. "He's directing the Blood Harvesters outside of the castle. He is in Shadow's employ."

"We're already aware of that, Titus." Said Gennai with a sigh.

"Wait, are you telling us there's more to this than we're seeing?" Asked Jahari.

"Yes. He was employed by Shadow, but under direction of Karakin, he's falsified his death…."

"Karkain has no grasp over Kai, he's too smart for that." Said Jahari. "He's been hiding away from battle for the duration of this war an was eventually found and killed. He has no standing here."

"I know it's true. After my village was destroyed, I went in search of Kai. I found him, and his accomplices." Titus said and took a ragged breath. "He is fooling Shadow just as the children are. He is under influence by Karakin and her promise of wealth and fame."

"So Kai is alive and still fighting." Gennai said.

"Yes. I believe Karakin has been coordinating him from outside the castle. He must have something to do with Chloe and Page's disappearance…." Titus finished. Just then, a soldier came running from the trees and stopped before the leaders, panting.

"You must have much news for you to have run as swiftly as you have. Am I correct?" Asked Hyperion. The soldier nodded, trying to catch his breath. "Well then speak what you know."

"Well, Sir, that... is… relative." The soldier panted. "Which first, good news, or bad?"

"It doesn't quite matter how you tell the news, bad news is bad and good news is good, the order doesn't change the effect." Said Titus with a smile.

"Nobody asked you, old man." Jahari raised a brow. "Just speak, boy."

The Soldier took a deep breath and calmed himself, then spoke.

"There is news on the winds, Sirs, that the Digidestined have escaped the castle."

"Why that's splendid! We need only find them." Said Hypherion. "Where are they presently?"

"They were seen heading this way, Sirs, with the Andacar." Said the soldier.

"The Andacar? The birds are allied with the Night Walkers. Why would the Digidestined be with them?" Jahari inquired to Gennai.

"Perhaps this means that a union was formed between the children and the wolves." Hyperion suggested.

"Preposterous!" Jahari shook.

"Well, if the Digidestined find trust in them, then I do as well." Said Titus easily, accepting the glares from Jahari. Gennai looked at the old man and at his hands.

"I agree. I'm with the children on this one." He said.

"You, Gennai?" Jahari queried.

"Think about it Jahari. The numbers in the Wolf's pack would exponentially increase our own. If the Digidestined are on their side, then we should be, too. It only makes sense." Said gennai. Jahari stopped and thought a moment.

"They're not quite as murderous as the Cats…" he muttered.

"Then it's settled, we'll speak with the wolves and the Digidestined about this whole deal." Said Hyperion, happy with the movement of information. He turned once more to the soldier. "I trust that was the good news, what else did you have for us, young man?"

"Sirs, we have just found Chloe. She's been killed by a Giant." He said, catching everyone off guard.

"Dead?" Gennai repeated in disbelief.

"Correct, Sir."

"And Page?" Jahari inquired over his shoulder.

"Missing. A foliage trail is being followed in the forest as we speak. It appears there were Blood Harvesters at the scene."

"Specifically?" Jahari muttered.

"One of or men looked over the prints and determined they were designed for a lion, Sir."

"Specifically?" Jahari said again, but with more force.

"Uh… There were black hairs, Sir. We… We think it was Jagar and Jaganu…." The soldier finished.

There was a silence between them.

"Is that all, soldier?" asked Jahari, never looking at the boy. The young soldier nodded his head nervously.

"Then you may go." And the boy turned and high-tailed away from the seething man.

"It's settled. We have to talk to Sheba…." Said Hyperion.

"Yes… Whether we like it or not I suppose. They hold as much of a grudge to the cats as we do…. Perhaps they'll help after all." Jahari murmured, barely audible.

High in the trees against the greens and grays, a man sat watching, listening.

"Sheba? Karakin will love this." He said and wrote on a small strip of paper. He then tied the paper to the leg of a brown and black hawk and sent it soaring into the air. Kai lay back into the leaves as he continued to follow the leaders' movements below.

'_This is almost over. Soon, the castle will be mine, just like she promised.'_ He thought with a grin as the air around the encampment grew darker and thicker.

---

The Engineer studied the results on the computer he stood in front of the large glass tube Inside, hooked up to many wires and pumps, was T.K, his skin pale and hair lighter than typical. He hung in the water with his blond hair swaying gracefully.

"There is little progress with this one. Disappointing, and he had such potential with this power." Stated the engineer.

"He did show signs of recovery this morning, sir." Said one of his colleagues.  
"Is that right?" the man looked back at the boy.

This really was a dangerous but fascinating experiment.

Shadow wanted these guards to be able and willing to kill or slay anyone that opposed him and his plan. The Dark Guards Program was exactly what he had in mind. Mr. Slinkard was openly excited by his new project as replacement to the previous Mr. Walker.

"By genetically altering the code in this boy's DNA, we can delete traits of emotion and personality and replace it with energy genes." Said Mr. Slinkard to himself. "The question is how can we do this without killing the boy?" Thinking about the candidates for their research, the engineer shook his head at the moral Irony of it all. One was a boy of a great power over the hopes and dreams of the people. He was a powerful speaker and a noble warrior of light and life. The other was a girl with the power to overcome darkness. She was a quick minded girl with sense and thought. Both Teens were strong, and motivationally powerful to the human mind. They would be transformed into, as the engineer saw it, monsters of darkness.

'_They may as well be. After this, there won't be anything left of their human conscious….' _The man typed a code into the computer, sending a mechanical pipeline into the tube. The lines connected to T.K and drilled themselves into his skin, causing the boy to tense in pain.

"Just a little longer." Muttered the engineer. Everyone in the room watched as the lines finished connecting to the boy and entered his veins. The man typed in another code and a liquid ran through the lines, flowing into the boy's blood stream.

The blonde's eyes and mouth opened wide as he screamed in agony though only bubbles came from his lips.

He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes tightly, struggling against the pipes and the fluid that was being pumped into him. He tore the lines from his back and his arms and began to thrash about. The computers blinked red saying "WARNING, WARNING"

"Damn it." the engineer cursed under his breath and ran to another system computer.

Typing in passwords and codes, he released a liquid into the tube that surrounded the boy, seeping into his senses.

The boy's eyes drifted slightly and his thrashing slowed. He calmed down and his eyes shut completely.

"It's a shame that we keep on needing to put him to sleep like that. It always interrupts the experiments." Said Mr. Slinkard with exasperation.

"Well, sir, we could still continue with the project. There was little damage with this dosage, we may be able to make progress this time around." Said one of his colleagues.

Mr. Slinkard looked up at the man.

"Well then, proceed." He urged.

"Yes Sir."

The lines lowered once more and reconnected to the boy. Blood drifted through the tank in small amounts from the wounds of the previous attempt. The man shook his head. The liquid pumped back into the boy and he twitched again, but didn't wake up. The computer scans began to blink and beep rapidly. The engineer looked at them in interest.

"Hmmm. Life signs are normal, side effects: none, no reading of any physical or mental changes yet." He read. He blinked and looked back at the boy.

"As I may have guessed. Immune. Oy!" he dropped his head on the desk in frustration.

"I'm going to go see how the other one is coming. Maybe there'll be some progress with her." He stated and exited the room. As the doors closed, the lines disconnected themselves from the boy.

One of the engineers looked up at the boy and noticed the lines retracting.

"Hey, Robert? Did you disconnect the lines?" She asked, looking at one of her colleagues. He looked back at her, shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. The woman looked back up at the boy in confusion. The boy then straitened from the ball that he had form and stood strait and tall in the tank.

His hands balled into fists and air bubbles escaped his knuckles and nostrils.

The woman's eyes widened.

This has never happened before! He has never awoken only moments after being tranquilized! She panicked and hurried to the computer, typing the code to release the serum again, but she stopped. The engineer heard a creaking and groaning sound from the tank. She looked up at the blond. His eyes were opened and glowing a hyperactive blue, his skin had a distinct glow to it as well and his hair drifted unnaturally through the water. He looked angry, and yet he also harbored a mutual look of indifference. T.K pressed his palm to the glass and it cracked.

The scientists and engineers in the room were panicking. They all hurried around the room to their computers and others to fire arms. Now, T.K was a potential threat. If their plan went as they'd had hoped, he would have a stable mind with no emotions and side-effects of some type. These effects were made evident as the tank shattered, scattering glass everywhere around the tank, yet the water remained in place. T.K's palm was still against the edge of the water.

The liquid then began to spiral itself into his palm, making a twisting, transparent ball of water. He held his arm out with the liquid sphere in floating just over his palm.

He walked out and away from the tank and faced the men and women in the room.

They stared back in fear.

T.K then released the water and it splashed to the floor. His eyes reverted to their usual crystal blue as he looked around the room.

"Where, may I ask, are my clothes?" he asked bluntly.

"Y-You shouldn't be out of the tank, or alive for that matter." Stuttered the woman.

The blond looked over at her slowly. He stared her in the eye and she felt something strange. The blood in her body felt as though it was slowing down.

Her heart sped quickly. She was beginning to gasp for air. In fear, she looked up at him in realization. This boy's power, it was over all water or fluid. He was stopping her vessels from running.  
"Please, stop." She gasped as she felt a crushing sensation in her heart.

"May I have my clothes?" asked the boy simply. A man ran to a closet with a lab coat.

"This is all we have right now, but you can get something else later, just let her go." He said frantically.

T.K looked at the coat and took it. The woman gasped for air thankfully as she felt the pressure decrease.

"Not mine, but at least I'm still in the click!" joke the boy as he buttoned up the coat.

The scientists blinked.

"What is this, an audience or a mosaic?" he wondered and went to the door.

"Where are you going? We still need to run tests on you!" called the woman. The boy looked back at her.

"I'm tired of being locking in a tank with a bunch of tubes and pipes sticking out of me. Thanks but no thanks."

"But-"

"And by the way, Where's Kari?" he asked, turning around fully.

"Uh, the girl?" asked the man named 'Robert'.

"Uh, Duh, the girl." Said the boy in the same tone.

"She is in the other room being tested." Said the woman.

"Cool. Thanks." The boy waved and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" The woman shouted and ran to the door, only to find it locked.

"What?!" She shouted in surprise.

The cracks and edges of the door sealed over with ice and the ceilings began to leak with water.

They all looked up at the ceiling, realizing that there was a leak and they were trapped.

"Oh no." Said the woman to herself.

The ceiling bent inward with a creak and a groan.

"What have we done?"

The metal began to give way with the weight of the water.

"We have succeeded."

Just then, the ceiling collapsed and the water rushed inside. The room filled, and then froze itself to solid ice.

The woman was frozen half drifting, staring at the door in fear and amazement.

T.K walked through the halls, unfazed by his actions, his mind numb to his surroundings. He felt something was missing, but he couldn't place it. Was it Sonya? His friends, or Family? No, it couldn't be…. He felt he was missing something in his head. His sanity? No, it was still there, or he wouldn't be thinking strait, if at all. He shrugged and proceeded. A voice echoed in his head saying, _'Kill him. Kill Shadow. Take the relic. Kill him. Kill Shadow. Take the relic...' _Over and over. The voice repeated continuously and T.K began to hum to the tune it made. In a fit of short merriment, he began dancing and singing as he moved forward. The corridor behind him grew black and blue as ice crept over the surfaces at T.K's heel. He neared a door and it opened for him as he strolled in. The trail of ice stopped and froze the door shut. T.K found himself standing before Shadow's throne in the main hall.

'How did I get here?' he wondered absently. Shadow grinned down at the blond with satisfaction.

"I see your testing is completed." He said. The sound of another door creaked behind T.K, but he didn't turn around. He was fairly dizzy, as if intoxicated, and he found a great deal of interest in his surroundings. T.K could smell iron behind him and he looked to his left where the scent was coming from. Kari walked up beside him, covered with blood, a placid look written on her face.

"My children, are you ready to join my army?" Shadow inquired.

Neither Digidestined were mentally competent enough to understand what he said; and Shadow took their silence as a show of obedience.

"Of course you are."

T.K watched Kari from his peripheral vision. Her eyes were unsteady, but seemed fixated on the gleaming object around Shadow's neck.

'_I need that relic.'_ T.K thought. _'I'll just play on it for a little longer… that's all I need. When my project is finally done, I'll take the relic and leave….'_

It was the beginning of something new, and he felt a great energy for it.

* * *

Anywho.... Forgive me for the choppiness. Please review and tell me what you think!


	17. 14: Temperence: Temperence REVISED

Alright you guys bear with me, there's only a few smaller tweaks,** but you should probably read them anyway.**

I just realized that there are animal characters that I introduced that I haven't brought up in a while, so I wanna try and bring them back next chapter or so. Just in case, here's a reminder of who's who.

**Blood Harvester - Inca, Jagar, Tact, Jaganu, Xantar**

**NightWalker - Sorano, Nicolo, Tzadik, Knox, Dagan**

Thanks for the patience! I'll try and have the next chapter soon!

**Enjoy.  
**

_

* * *

"I saw her face in the blaze. Mom and Dad always told me that when a soul walks through a fire, they're being purified to go to Heaven. But the fire didn't cleanse her soul... The flames turned black, as if all of her sins were killing it. It suffocated and turned into smoke. And she stood there. Grinning. Laughing. Untouched. and the smoke erupted into a black inferno that swept over the world. Then I woke up, not daring to look out the window lest the world was ablaze..."_** Mimi - Gates to the Realm of Darkness.**

**Temperance - This card suggests moderation. Temperance. Patience. Self- Control. Frugality. Coordination. Accommodation. Reflection. Harmony. The mixing or bringing together into a perfect union. Friendship. Compatibility., Consolidation. Fusion. Putting into successful combination.**

The graves were lined along the edge of the canyon, the stones and grave-markers blending with the ever darkening sky. The remaining Digidestined stood silently under the stormy clouds, the air sitting quietly and heavily on their tired shoulders. The birds sat high in the trees above the dream-struck Digidestined. They watched mournfully as the guilt and sorrow of the deaths nestled into their breasts. Sonya stood behind the others. She mourned her friends' deaths, but stood further away, not belonging to the circle of friendship the others had formed.

To Tai, the whole event was too surreal. It couldn't happen, not like this, not this quickly and slowly. He glanced at the others and caught their eyes.

"We should go." he said lowly, not wanting to be near the graves.

"What do we do now?" wondered Yolie.

"We keep going forward..." Hawkmon answered.

"And where's that?" Sora muttered. "Every time we 'move forward' we get hurdled back with fewer numbers! At this rate, we'll all die."

"Sora..." Mimi touched the red-head's shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"She's right. You will all die." said a voice from behind them. The group turned to see Inca, the Cheetah, crouched upon a fallen log. "How're you holding up, dearies? Did the stench of Sin burn your nostrils yet?"

"Shut up, you stupid cat! What do you want now?" Matt shouted, triggering his injured partner to stand ready.

"To live and dine with the Persian Queen and sleep on the finest Silk. I'm here to help, you Dolt." Inca responded with a sniff.

"Help how? All you've done so far is talk and even that hasn't given us anything." Sora interjected.

"I see. In that case, Did you find out whether the serum given to you will begin to tear your organ apart and shred your flesh or not? Did you find out if your friends in the castle are still your friends, or if their hunting you? Did you learn about Shadow's progression into YOUR world?" The cat growled fiercely. The group responded only with shocked expressions. "Whether you trust me or not, I'm right, and I know I'm right. You will have to listen to me if you want to live through this."

Tai looked at Inca, then at the Andacar in the trees. He wondered why they all looked as stoic as they did being around a Blood harvester, an enemy. Inca noticed this and chuckled a little.

"You wonder why they don't attack me?" she asked. "I'm not your enemy. I'm on your side..."

"You're a Blood Harvester." said Veemon. "Every one of you kind is an enemy"

"Enemy is a relative term. For instance, Your little forest friend, Ratcklyn, is on his way to annihilate Gennai and his band right now." Everyone looked at each other uneasily, unsure whether to believe the Cheetah.

"You should have listen to Izzy when you had the chance. He was on to something." Inca continued.

"Don't even say his name..." said Yolie angrily.

"Whatever the case," an Eagle glided to the dead ground and perched on the log beside Inca, "Inca is our ally. She has fed information to Sheba from early in the War. She is trustworthy."

"How do you know?" Palmon inquired suspiciously.

"When the clans were still together, Inca walked beside Sheba at the head of the army as her healer." said the Eagle.

"Although she's a wolf, Sheba is like a mother to me. I would do anything for her, even if it means babysitting a bunch of stupid kids." Inca added blatantly.

"Who're you calling stupid?" Davis shouted.

"Come on." Sonya said suddenly from her silent spot behind the group. "We should leave this place. There's still much to do."

* * *

_'...I think this is the point where I should question my own sanity...' _T.K thought to himself as he walked toward Shadow's throne. _'Dude, is there a reason why you haven't killed him yet? Is there a reason you haven't killed yourSELF?'_

"Takeru. How is your research coming? Are you coming close to your goal?" Shadow inquired.

_'I had a goal?'_

"Good. I need healthier subjects though. All my experiments are dead or dying." Takeru answered.

"Dead you say?"

_'Because I put them out of their misery.'_

"The combination wasn't right."

"I see. And now?"

"I have several survivors I'm keeping under surveillance. They passed the first two trials. I just need more time to calculate the genetic modifications I need to make."

_'Can I go die now?'_

"In that case why do you need more subjects? Just kill the weaklings and continue with the survivors." Shadow said, resting his chin in his palm.

T.K felt himself begin to shake and twitch a little. His frustration and exhaustion weighed on his visible bones, making him appear as a shivering corpse.

"I need more bodies in case something goes wrong. I can't run out of subjects if I want to get this done."

"Then I suppose you shouldn't mess up." Said Shadow simply. "I want a written report on your work by the end of tomorrow, understand?"

"Why do you need a report?"

"If my scientists are going to emulate you research, they need to know what they're doing, don't they?"

"Emulate... Hey wait a minute! I agreed to do this for my army. MY army! Not you." T.K argued.

"Boy, you are my servant and everything you do or create belongs to me. Therefore I shall do what I want with it, when I want. Report. Tomorrow. Good Day." said Shadow finally, signaling T.K to leave. rather than arguing, T.K turned and left the throne room infuriated. Once the doors were shut and he was partway down the hall, T.K swore and toppled a suit of armor to the stone floor. A small giggle behind him made him turn his head and hold his breath. Kari stood behind him and looked at him with a small smile. Her eyes shone in the torchlight and her hair draped her shoulders gracefully. T.K looked away, slightly embarrassed that Kari saw him loose his temper.

"What's the matter?" she asked, "Shadow?"

"He's gonna take my research and call it his. He wants a written report by tomorrow night." T.K answered. Kari's hands slid over his shoulders and she chuckled.

"And what if you don't write it?" she asked.

"I'd probably go poof." T.K was slightly confused at Kari's playfulness, but he chose not to complain.

"You'd better get on it then." Kari said, her red eyes burning under her dark lashes. T.K felt a wave of fury ripple throughout his body and he exhaled in hopes of relieving it. He coordinated a plan in his head to preserve his research for his intended receiver. He thought about Sheba and briefly wondered how well he had covered himself to obtain the pendant for her, but his thoughts were cut off by Kari tapping his nose.

"You still with me?" she inquired playfully.

"Yeah, I think I'll go blow off some steam..." T.K said lowly and turned.

"Can I come with?" Kari asked, following him. T.K didn't answer as he let his thoughts wander aimlessly. The memories of Sonya flooded his mind and his rage swelled again, triggering another idea.

"Hey Kari, do you know where Darcy and Tim are?"

"I though you'd never ask."

Back up in the high points of the castle Shadow sat staring out his window to the blacked Earth. Megara, Ven, and Shante stood behind him and his Sons stood on each of his sides silently, waiting.

"They're finished with their programs, Takeru is nearly done with his research... I think it's time to set the dogs loose and see what they can do." Shadow said lowly.

"Where would you like to send them, Lord?" Shante inquired.

"Where have we not been?"

"The new Satie encampment." Darcy suggested.

"Or perhaps the Plainsmen's village across the water." said Timmy.

"Not there, they must come to us." said Ven.

"Where are the Digidestined heading to now?" Shadow asked, interrupting the debate.

"They're on their way to find the wolves." said Megara after a short silence.

"Follow them. If they become a problem, set the animals on them." Shadow ordered. Each face lit up with a dark smirk as ideas formed in their minds.

* * *

"Sheba, we can't wait any longer."

"Yes we can."

"The Pendant is still in Shadow's possession."

"Not for long. Keep waiting."

"But, Sheba..."

"Patience, child. Just a few more days. I can feel him getting closer."

"As is the Cat Child. She will kill him and take the pendant."

"Not if we have anything to do with it. T.K is stronger than that, and so are we."

"..."

The other children are near."

"Can we really count on them, Sheba?"

"You are so negative, child. About as negative as that Inca woman."

"The world is tearing apart and everything we worked for is soon to be lost."

"It'll be alright. You'll see."

A sound came from the ground above Sheba and Sorano. The pair looked up and listened as two figures ran through the tunnels to the room. Soon, Nicoli and Knox appeared at the doorway, panting and out of breath.

"What is it Nicoli?" Asked Sorano with surprise.

"It's Gennai." Nicoli breathed.

"What about him? Has something happened?" Sheba inquired as she stood. He and the leaders have been found in the White Plains." Nicoli informed as he caught his breath.

"They have been hung as scarecrows, their hearts torn from their chests. Only Gennai was recovered to relay a message, but he fell unconscious before we could hear it." Knox finished.

There was a disturbing silence as the news sank into the wolfs' ears.

"Do I now have reason to be negative, Sheba?" Sorano asked quietly. Sheba bowed her head a little and gave a great sigh.

"I certainly hope not, child."

_The sky seemed darker than it ever was as the blood poured over the Digital World. The plants withered and fell to the polluted Earth pathetically and the animals grew hungry and mad. Many bodies could be found piled in the forests and plains, eroding the beauty into sickness. Everything that would have been familiar was gone. The Koryn Village lay burnt and blood-soaked in the decimated plain. the white wheat that once covered the area was shredded and left as an empty field. The Toltec ruins were now barely visible through the thick jungle, and all traces of the Satie had been eliminated. The Plainsmen were a myth to the outside tribes since their disappearance. With the winged solders went the land's pride and security. The leaders were gone and the army was nowhere to be seen. The residences of the Digital World were paralyzed with fear, so much in fact that they had forgotten all about the Digidestined. Raped of Hope, the World began to decay from the inside out.

* * *

_

Alright you guys, I'm working on gettin' that necklace out. I know I'm getting a little frustrated too, I'm thinking the next chapter, The card if called the Tower and it basically represent ruin, so I think I'll throw that literally into the Tower next chapter. LOL Not hard to guess who that card will represent!

Please leave a review for me!


	18. 15: Le Diable: The Devil

_Dear Faithful readers. I'm sorry for making you wait so long for this chapter. If you need to scale back a bit and re-read some stuff that might be a good idea._

_Thanks for hanging on as long as you have! I appreciate it! Any reviews at the end will fuel the next chapter as well, so let me know how the feel to you._

_Here you go! Enjoy._

* * *

_"__I think a curse should rest on me — because I love this war. I know it's smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment — and yet — I can't help it — I enjoy every second of it." -Kari Kamiya: Gates to the Realm of Darkness  
_

_...  
_

_The snow continued to fall silently over the earth, the walls that imprisoned the great cities thickened with ice. The birds were too afraid to sing, and most of the animals were dead. Few people in the great cities survived the harsh conditions created under the glass domes that covered them. Those who lived resorted to drastic measures to ensure they stay alive. The Digidestineds' parents lived, for now, living in their homes as if nothing had happened. They ignored the lack of ceiling, walls, plumbing, and life that once surrounded them. They had nearly forgotten their children in their attempts to survive in the new sky was never blue, children born into the world never knew what the color was or brought in summer. _

_...  
_

Tai and Sora had wrapped Mat's stubbed arm with a strip from Tai's jacket. The blond was very faint and weak, but refused help to walk, and he carried his mortally injured digimon in his other arm. Jyou looked at him, knowing how lucky he was to have his partner still with him. Jyou could feel the hole in his chest where his heart beat cold and slow. He grieved the loss of his digimon greatly, and felt the pains wear down on his body. Meanwhile, Sora didn't tell the others about the side wound she had received during the last battle. It was healing quickly, but it had signs of infection. She, too, was growing weak, but was determined to make it to the encampment before she accepted any medical attention. Sonya walked behind everyone, everywhere her feet touched the ground turn dead and brown.

The pain of watching everyone lose their friends and still not being accepted by them hurt her, and the plants around her could feel her darkness of the trees seemed to overwhelm the digidestined as they followed Inca through the dark forests toward the wolves' den. Each person was encased in their own thoughts. Would they survive the battle? Would their friends get out of the castle? When could they go home? Was there a home to return to? The silence was heavier than the air, forcing the group to suffocate in the tension, Inca looked to the black sky for guidance. After a moment, she spoke.

"Children, have you ever heard the Story of the Sky Fisher?" she inquired. No one answered, but listened.

"The Sky fisher is an old legend of the Water and Fire Gods. Long ago, there was no life on the dead lands of my Home. All there was was the God of Fire and of Water. They looked upon the lonely lands and felt the dark void of sorrow in their hearts. How alone they must have felt to know there was no one beside the Gods. You see, the life of a God is sadder than you may imagine. Even if there are a hundred of them, they would be isolated. No one God could live with another for their elements would never allow them. The Fire God, especially, felt this sadness and longed to have someone to speak to, to hold, and perhaps even to love." Inca's words cut through the thick air like a hot knife. The Digidestined listened intently, partly grateful for the distraction, and partly intrigued by the legend. Each of them had an idea of just who the Gods were. Inca continued.

"The Fire God looked to the black sky and watched the stars dance about in the air. She longed to join the stars in their merry play, and decided to bring them to the ground to liven the World. She sat upon the highest mountain and watched the stars flit and dance, wondering how to bring them to the earth. She pulled a strand of hair from her mane and tied it to a broken branch of a tree. She took a jewel from her breast and tied it to the other end of the strand and cast into the sky. Much time passed, for none of the stars were interested in the glittering jewel she offered them."

Inca stopped for a moment to think. The digidestined were completely in the story now and were interested in the detail.

"Sadness washed over the Fire God again, for the stars were uninterested in her gift. She reached out and implored them, but they still refused to see her. You see children, the jewel she offered was a piece of her heart. They say a God's heart is not a beating muscle as ours, but the gem of their element. The Ruby The Fire God offered was so dear to her, I suppose you could imagine her grief when it was rejected. She stood upon the mountain in remorse, not wishing to return the jewel to her breast. The Water God witnessed this, and joined her upon the mountain. He asked her why she was sad and she told him. The Water God turned his attention to the sky and offered to try to bring them for her."

"How sweet..." Mimi said, clutching her shirt as she listened.

"He tried, and failed, as the Fire God had." Inca continued. "However, he was not as sad as the Fire God. The Water God, although as lonely as the Fire God, was content with his time with the Fire God. He looked upon her grief and put the Sapphire in her hand. The Fire God asked why he would give her his heart, and he simply looked at her and told her, 'You've already had it'."

The girls sighed and giggled a little with the romance. Just as Inca finished, a frail light was visible through te dark trees.

"Inca, is this the place?" asked Tai, and Inca nodded.

They proceeded toward the light and watched it grow brighter and brighter as they neared the camp. Tai walked beside the Cheetah and leaned over slightly.

"Thanks for cheering everyone up, Inca. Morale is a tough thing to maintain."

"It's alright. I can't have a bunch of moping children with me when we arrive." Inca answered.

"The story you told, it wasn't true was it?" inquired the brunette.

"Well, son... as with all myths, a hint of truth must form its base."

As they entered the camp, Tai noticed the dog soldiers staring at them hungrily, angrily, and some hopefully. There were many half-beaten soldiers who looked as though they were still healing from old wounds. Davis and the other digidestined recognized them as the surviving solders that retreated in the midst of the great battle outside the castle. The dogs briefly acknowledged their presence and continued welding or sharpening their weapons. Around the camp was a gaurd between every tree, looking out to the dense woods for predators. makeshift huts were scattered here and there in the enclosure, but there was evidence that the dogs mostly slept outside. Inca pointed at the tree in the center of the enclosure.

"That's where Sheba is." she said. The digidestined looked at the old, rotting tree with wonder. It was remarkably large, but they could see that it was hollowed out, leaving only a shell. The children heard a loud yawn from behind them and turned on reflex.

"Damn Inca. I thought you would be here hours ago! What took you so long?" Knox complained with a stretch.

"Shut up, mutt. At least I got them back safely, unlike SOMEone might have." Inca retorted.

"At least I'd have been here a few days earlier, like SOMEone should have been!" Knox snapped back. Nicoli appeared beside Knox and he put a paw on his shoulder.

"Save your differences for another time," he said, "Sheba is waiting."

"Of course..." said Inca as she handed the children to the Wolf. She gestured for the group to follow the familiar creature through the encampment.

"It's good to see you safe, children." He said. "and though they may not show it, all the others feel the same."

"Speak for yourself," said Sora as she huddled closer to Matt and Tai. "They look angry." Davis added.

"They are frustrated that the mission has been strung out so long." Nicoli lamented, "Tojima has been hindered by Karakin and was unable to retrieve the pendant.""You're still after that?" Ken inquired with surprise."

"Yes. We were in a hurry to get the pendant before Karakin, and we sent T.K in without any training or briefing. We believed that Tojima's presence would allow him to act."

"You were wrong." Matt concluded."Not quite, Your friend has been of great use to us, and bonded with our mother, Sheba. He is intelligent and has a talent for acting." Nicoli stopped at the base of the great tree and lifted a large root, which revealed a passed beneath.

"He has convinced Shadow that he's been beaten into submission. We know otherwise. Follow me."

They descended into the dark tunnels and crawled through the small spaces below the roots. The tight walls seemed to pull inward the further they crawled, forcing Jyou to back up in heavy sweat.

"Uh... I'll see you guys outside!" he stammered as he began to crawl backwards. Yolie grabbed his shirt. "I don't think so!"

"Its only a little further, Jyou." Tai said as he spoke, a light emerged in front of them and they came through into a small damp room just feet under the hollowed tree. Candles fought to cast their dim lights, causing dark shadows and menacing images in the dark. In the center of the room lay the old white wolf, breathing heavily on the cold wet ground.

"Children, you've made it. I'm glad." she wheezed.

"Sheba, what happened to you?" Sonya asked with shock."My energy is fading. I can hardly move. I've been growing more and more tired as the nights pass. If i can hold on until Tojima returns..." she answered.

"She is growing older and the energy the Shadow drains from the worlds damages her heart." Nicoli explained. "The pendant he stole from Karakin makes him stronger, which is why we need to get it away from him."

"What if Karakin gets to it first?" asked Yolie.

"Well, I suppose I'd rather it be in her possession..." Sheba said as she lifted her old, weathered body. "At least she is capable of properly handling power. It would be a more decent death by her hand."

"However, we're doing what we can to avoid that." Nicoli knelt and placed a paw on the old wolf's back.

"Then we'll get it away from him." Tai proclaimed. "When we save Kari and T.k, we'll get that pendant! If it puts a dent in his powers, then it's our only option."

"Children, Shadow is cunning a cruel. He will send Kari and Takeru to you." Sheba said. "They will seek you out, separate or as a unit, and they will find you. Then they will kill you." The group looked to her with slight confusion and fear.

"No. Nah-uh, they're not that brainwashed." Matt laughed, attempting to shake off the comment. "They'll join us in getting Shadow."

"I'm afraid not. Tojima sent me a bird telling me of his fears of dispersion. I believe that Shadow will soon give the order."

"But why them?" asked Sora.

"Because you've made it a point to make yourselves his enemy." said Knox. "He's playing with you, he likes that you're so persistent in trying to get your friends back. So much so he will give them to you in a destructive package."

"But-" Yolie tried to interject, but was quickly interrupted.

"But what? You think they'll be fine and normal when you've reunited? They've seen enough death and carnage to ruin a child and curdle the blood of a killer. They've committed the crimes themselves, they've been killed in the heart." said Sheba with force. Her strong gaze was unwavering and her voice was strong for her frail body. Sonya stood silently, only half listening. She heard the cackles of the hyenas and wolves above the ground. Thinking of T.K, her heart began to beat arrhythmical with worry. She knew that T.K and Kari would come for them, and she knew it would be very soon.

...

Tap. Tap. Tap. TapTapTap... Tap...The blood dripped lightly and rhythmically to the ground as the body swung loosely from the chains on the ceiling. He hung form his wrists, which had begun to pull and break form the weight f his body. His face was bound in an iron mask, his feet were missing. T.K ate an apple as he rested, watching the creature moan and cry before him. Kari sat with her head happily and comfortably on T.K's shoulders. She grinned euphorically at the sight and her pride for T.K became an aphrodisiac. She pulled closer to him, feeling more and more attracted by this violent boy and his vacant expression for the tortured person in front of them. Where the hanged man's sexual organs would have been there was just a large bloody gap, and in his anus was a rusted Pope's Pear. Occasionally, the man's muscles would twitch or he would move, causing a new sensation o agony to trample over him. Kari Smiled.

"How do you feel now?" she asked. "Better?"

"Abso-fuckin'-lutely." he said matter-of-factly. "How about you?" he looked at the beautiful brunette beside him.

"Fan-fuckin'-tastic." she smiled, making him chuckle."What do you want to do now?" Kari asked, admiring what had previously been done to the man. "Well, we wait for the brother to show. In the meantime, whatever I guess." T.K said, finishing his apple and stretching. His thin, ashen skin pulled tightly over his skeleton, making him look nearly dead. He stood, however and went up to the hanging man with a strange energy."How does it feel to be raped and violated? To be probed by a sick, deprived Monster?" He inquired. Kari sniffed behind him."Hey, I'm not that bad!" she joked. T.K chuckled again and turned to the man on the chains.

"Ti'dramknock. Do you want to die now?" Timmy nodded faintly.

"Do you want your brother to save you?" he inquired nodded again.

"Do you know why you're here?" T.K asked.

"Be...cause, You're... sis..ter cou-couldn't take... a little dick." Timmy insulted. T.K twitched with anger, but he quickly regained himself.

"Little is damn right." he mocked. "Had to work to grab the damn thing, but there was no problem ripping it off. Hey, does it hurt when I do this?" T.K poked a fire prod into the hole where Timmy's penis should have been. Timmy screamed out in agony and fear.

"Thought so. And because you know why you're here, I'm gonna let your brother down here!" T.K said man looked through the holes of the mask curiously and hopefully. "R-Really?"

"Absolutely!" T.K turned on him.

"But neither of you are gonna make it out of here." Kari growled lowly. Timmy realized what she said and tears began to form in his eyes and run down his face. "DADDY! DARCY!" he began to sob.

"Jesus Christ, what a Pussy." T.K said with irritation and he turned and wrote a few more notes in his files for his work.

"You... My father will kill you." Timmy struggled angrily.

"Uh, maybe eventually, but not quite yet." T.K said lightly as he finished his notes."He will avenge me and my brother."

"No he won't." T.K lightly answered."Of course-" but T.k wouldn't let him finish.

"What do you think he's going to do? Do you think he cares enough to get off his high-horse to come and save you? No matter what either of you think, he has no power down here. I can kill him way too easily for him to take that risk and he knows it." T.K said sternly. "Besides, he hates you anyhow."

"Y-you're lying!""I don't think he is..." Kari smiled maliciously, and she gt up to walk out of the dungeon."Please don't kill my father...!" Timmy began to sob."I won't kill him. Yet." T.K said. Timmy peered through his glassy red eyes.

"But I can't guarantee anything for you." With that, T.K covered Timmy's head with a sack, causing his already dim world to go black. Tojima growled as he began to allow his body to change. His teeth morphed and sharpened as his body contorted into the beautiful and hideous creature. _Sonya, I hope this makes you proud._

_...  
_

Shadow looked out over the sea of gray that was the land around his castle. The carcasses that once covered the ground were gone, either eaten or carried away by scavengers. He fingered the pendant around his neck greedily, feeling the satisfaction of victory over his breast. The pendant made him feel warm and powerful, and he loved the feeling.'I'll never let this go.' He thought to himself."Sir, did you hear what I said?" Inquired Megara as she looked at the dazed man.

"Continue." He simply said and continued looking out of his bedroom window. The raven-haired woman continued with the lab readings she held in her hand.

"Subject shows signs of physical deterioration, but enhanced cognitive process. Understood quantitative reasoning previously unknown before testing. Tests indicate a higher deductive reasoning pattern from subject." she finished. "It looks like everything is good to go, Shadow."

"Very good." Shadow said, stroking the gems on the pendant.

"...What do you plan to do now?" Megara asked, causing the man to stare her down.

"Lead them into battle against their home. Starting with the children."

Megara grinned and nodded, then turned to leave the room. Shadow remained stroking the pendant and staring about the land outside his window. He thought vaguely about nothing, his eyes growing glassy. The Pendant glowed dimly, barely enough to be noticeable, but Shadow didn't pay attention. Outside the door, Kari stood listening for any movement. The door was slightly ajar from Megara's departure, allowing Kari to peer through the crack at the necklace. Her blood rushed as she felt the power of the gems on the pendant as if they were breathing with her."I want that pendant back..." Karakin growled in Kari's head.

"Now."

Kari looked down the hall once more to see if anyone was coming, then turned into the door and slinked in the room. She could feel Karakin take over again as she made her hips sway a little heavier and her shoulders drop a little lower.

"Shadow..."

* * *

To my remaining readers:

THANK YOU FOR WAITING SO LONG!

You wouldn't believe how busy it's been. But since Finals are finishing, I should be able to pump out the finishing chapters of this story! We still have a little bit to go, but we're about 3/4 the way there! Hang in there!

See you next chapter!


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